China is investing a lot of money to diversify trade away from their booming coastal provinces. And it has security implications:
In the face of increasing risks to its overseas investments, it will be difficult for China to stick to its non-interference principle and to “maintain China’s expanding overseas interests through peaceful diplomatic means in a complex and ever-changing situation”.[25] As Chinese overseas assets expand, security forces have been instructed to think about possible options in case a contingency plan is needed: all the relevant departments “are currently actively studying responses”, which include possible army “support for the protection of overseas interests, the use of foreign security forces to strengthen intelligence research and analysis, the establishment of security operations systems, etc.”[26] Experts from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) further recommend, “deepening China’s security cooperation with foreign governments” and “adding a specific security cooperation clause to bilateral trade and investment agreements”.[27][emphasis added]
Well, overland interests, in this case. I have noted that the flag will follow trade if China looks inland.
We should encourage this massive Chinese investment that pivots China away from the sea to protect our allies in the western Pacific and avoid a war with China in defense of our allies.
I love it when a plan comes together. Really.
And does anybody wonder about China's massive investment to reach Europe when we speak of a Pacific Century taking over from our Europe-centric policies up to now?
