This article is my understanding of this interview.
China’s Grand Strategy.
‘To be a hegemonic world power’ is SB’s first response to the question ‘what is China’s Grand Strategy?’ That is their objective.
‘One Belt One Road’ is a development strategy being implemented by the Chinese Communist Party. The ‘belt’ refers to the overland road and rail network known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the ‘road’ refers to the shipping routes called the Maritime Silk Road.
‘Made in China 2025’ is a strategic plan to move away from making low quality cheap goods to producing high tech products over a number of industries and services.
‘Economic War with America’ is an attempt to dominate the world economy.
Geopolitical Landscape
Mackinder’s Theory of the Asian landmass.
Later, in 1919, Mackinder summarised his theory as:
“Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland;
who rules the Heartland commands the World-Island;
who rules the World-Island commands the world.”
(Mackinder, Democratic Ideals and Reality, p. 150)
Mahan’s theory of cutting off the choke points of the world’s oceans. He also saw the potential power of China.
Spykman’s theory of keeping the enemy off the Asian landmass. Spykman also said:-
“Who controls the Rimland rules Eurasia;
Who rules Eurasia controls the destinies of the world.”
(Rimland refers to Mackinder’s geopolitical map.)
Was it the thought that Russia and China would cancel each other out? Was Hitler’s push east an effort to control the heartland?
We are told that Corporations are aiding and abetting China’s expansion and exploitation of the first world, deindustrialising the industrial west.
The CCP have been waging an economic war on the USA and other western countries including the UK. By corrupting business, political leaders and institutions they have built up power bases in those countries.
If we consider J D Vance, who is referred to by SB (14.15) it can be argued that he put his finger on the betrayal of the common man by the elite. He was a Social Conservative and it does not go unnoticed that definitions become more tangled as the political narrative is stuck to the outdated template of Left and Right.
SB goes on to say that the election of Trump was about human dignity and self-worth. The reference to border adjustable taxing is also relevant but was clearly too painful for the Globalists.
Unconventional warfare
It may have been better to have titled this part ‘Non-military Warfare with a Totalitarian Mercantilist Regime’. Perhaps that is too long?
Not only is there an economic war being waged but China’s influence in US politics has been exposed. They include a plethora of influential moves such as media ownership, propaganda, patronage, infiltration into political groups, research institutions and other organisations, loans, funding and donations, lobbying and harassment of overseas diaspora. ZTE Corporation and Huawei Technologies are examples of the roads being made into technology abroad where known Chinese intelligence agents have been identified among their staff. To say nothing of debt diplomacy.
Potential Global Conflict
This part of the interview is very worrying. Qatar may well be a flashpoint for a resurgence of Sunni and Shia conflict and there is the added trouble in the Straits of Hormuz. It is the South China Sea that is the most volatile.
Where is the line to be drawn between acquiescence and consequence?
Chinese Infiltration in the US
The main thrust of SB’s thoughts on the infiltration in research and defence was not whether it was happening but why it has happened. His conclusion was that it was the politically correct soft approach by the appeasers that was to blame. Stealth and socialism seem to go hand in hand.
Conclusion
Democracy and Capitalism are the best we have. They are the natural systems of human co-habitation allowing ownership, trade competition innovation choice and a host of other benign attributes.
We see China as the threat that it most certainly is. China is a Communist state. Should we be surprised that it is also a Totalitarian state? China is not the only threat though. Religious Ideology is also a threat to us all. Ubiquitous Socialism is another threat, draining our vitality and freedoms sentencing us to a slow death, as is Corporatism, the crony capitalism of the western world manifesting in Globalism.
The elite nonsense game of global geopolitics is still being played, by children who would bring the house down.
Very good to admire the thoughts of Mackinder, Mahon and Spykman but a factor of prescience is ones environment, attitude and ambitions. To take the bullish action prescribed by SB however attractive cannot be wise.
When will they learn that it will be the people who will eventually rule?
“Blessed are the gentle,
For they will inherit the earth”
If we are to advance ourselves we have to protect our achievements our freedoms and understand ourselves. We cannot acquiesce to these rogue nations cultures and religious ideologies, where women have no rights, people have no ownership and basic freedoms are trampled on. Some would say that the enemy within is more dangerous than the enemy without.
A cocktail of Ideologies are suffocating our world. It is time to stand up and be counted. The thirst for power cannot be quenched by more power. The Nation State is now being recognised as a limiter of global ambition and a protector of diversity, competition, and innovation. Hallelujah!
The global power struggle should be defused forever. Diluted down to a common level that empowers, enfranchises, and allows ownership and freedom to all. Localism would be a fitting partner to the Nation State. Who has the most to lose?
It is not the Chinese, Russian or Americans people who are at fault, it is the greedy the selfish the intolerant and the fanatical.
This video is a useful supplement to SB’s interview and well worth the effort, driving some points home. It may also give you an insight into how this is all going to end.
There is a body of evidence that points to China being responsible for the World Trade Centre Sept 11 Attacks.
OK. But we just want to get out of the EU. Apparently Trump was right about Huawaei however it’s spelled. That’s another thing really annoys me about the Media – slagging off Trump and Boris in the same sentence.
Kim this is brilliant! A much needed article. An important element in all of this is of course Global Warming. We’ve recently blown up a power station down here in East Tilbury but that’s small beer. Then there are all the windmills and solar farms and the plain to build Hinkley. All designed to push up electricity prices and reduce reliability.
This has been a huge driver in pushing out heavy industry. China of course is building coal power stations hand over fist. And of course China is now re-colonising Afrika taking over where Britain left off. I watched it happened. The Chinese where there at the beginning when Rhodesia was still Rhodesia. I used to listen to Radio Peking for laughs. Not so funny now.
Romantically, it is a battle between good and evil. Rationally, one perspective could possibly be a conflict of imposition and liberty. I feel out of my depth on this but it almost as though there is a rogue gene in the human dna. Exploitation and self interest on steroids. Ideology is the enemy.
“Blessed are the gentle, For they will inherit the earth”
For those old enough to remember the ‘Rowan & Martin Laugh In’, the same line appeared, with this reply:-
”Yes, but the strong keep contesting the will”
True then – 30 yrs ago; true now.
Yes very good. Perhaps ‘eventually’ should be added
This was discussed in the 1960’s. See my article The Midland Oval and the Deep-Water Ports ( consequences of possible warming ) . On the rejuvenation of Scotland and the UK. One of the reasons ( As well as fishing ) for the desperation for our conquest and Ireland. ( Done on the cheap ) I keep on about the continental shelf. But the EU wants to keep quiet and builds HS2 to facilitate access to Scotland.. Crazy but facts Dr Watson.
I’m in Scotland at the moment but why bother. The SNP want to hide it . Obviously. So do our politicians and their corrupt desire to hand over the North Sea. The Atlantic Coasts are remote for China so far. BUT.
Big ideas begets imposition an agenda we are too simple to understand. Their games show a lazy response to the needs of people. A lack of understanding of what is important, or is it just evil.
This is a really good article but my response will have to be limited because I’m out having a few jars at the moment.
China, Russia even Iran and increasingly others, I’ve noticed this realignment taking place, they’re all moving away from the US dollar. In the past those that have threatened to trade oil and commodities in any thing other than the US dollar haven’t been around for long, China and Russia though are too big to just push around.
Unfortunately though, you have to realise that the people behind all of this are psychopaths, they just don’t care how many people they kill in pursuit of their objectives; it has long been the way.
There is nothing wrong with competition as long as we can do it without warfare and totalitarianism. It seems though that we are seeing several, well at least three, centers of power preparing to scrap it out. Nothing new of course, people only ever realise when it’s too late or read it in the history books and think that it’ll never happen again.
There are a lot of other good threads in this article, however, I’m just about to order another pint.
Am now five hours behind you, with the pint that is! Your point is exactly right and if they are going to lose power they won’t care what button they push.
When people talk of radical change needed, what do they mean? I would turn the whole upside down. An ‘underground movement’, again what is meant? I would go for parallel running wherever absolutely possible. Local currency, local business, local power etc, etc.
Always more to say, thanks.