China's territorial ambitions

Everyone knows that China is currently on the up and up. The Chinese economy is soon set to be the biggest in the world, some foresee that in the next couple of years, others see it in the next decade to 15 years but no one is in doubt that they'll get there. To match that growth China's also stepping back up to play with the big boys and their military machine is going in to overdrive. Their budget for 2014 was officially $132 billion (unofficially it could be as much as $184 billion) which is paltry compared to the U.S' $640 billion budget but the difference is that China's budget is increasing year on year whereas the U.S' is remaining fairly stable.

China's ambitions

The Senkaku / Diaoyu Islands

A Japanese fishing boat flying its flag at the Sengaku Islands

Japan and China have been having a spat over these islands since 2012 when the Japanese government purchased 3 of the islands from private owners. The Chinese have been making territorial claims on the islands since the 1970's (as has Taiwan). Opinion written in English seems to say that Japan has had a lawful claim to the islands since 1895 although without being able to read the Chinese opinion on things it's impossible to say who is in the right.

China and Japan who have a bit of a messy past as it is have decided to run up against one and other over these islands. In 2012 40 maritime incursions and 160 marine incursions occurred in the area deemed to be controlled by Japan, in December the Japanese sent F-15's in response to a Chinese incursion. In 2013 both sides sent military aircraft and naval vessels to the disputed region resulting in stand-offs between their forces, luckily remaining so rather than escalating. Towards the end of 2013 China declared an Air Defence Zone over the area however to date Japan, the U.S and South Korea have repeatedly violated the restrictions imposed by China over the area.

In 2014 there have been few developments although that doesn't mean anything has cooled down, it's just simmering. In July Japan changed it's constitution allowing it to go to war to defend an ally, namely the U.S - the Chinese clearly took that as provocative. The U.S also made a similar claim back in April stating that it would defend Japan in the event of conflict over the islands.

China and the South China Sea

China is running up against Vietnam and the Phillipines over territorial claims in the South China Sea. 

In May this year China moved an oil rig in to waters claimed by the Vietnamese and began drilling for oil there. Protests erupted in Vietnam in which Chinese citizens and businesses were attacked. The rig withdrew from the waters in July having completed their exploration of the area. The U.S has recently lifted an arms embargo against Vietnam which is seen as it';s intent to arm the nation to confront an increasingly hostile China.

Also in May this year the Chinese began construction of artificial islands on reefs in disputed waters with the Phillipines. It's suspected that the new islands will form a permanent military base to strengthen China's position in the region. The U.S is supporting the Phillipines (although not as strongly as it has Japan) by holding joint naval exercises with the Phillipines in the last few days.

India / China border

The border between India and China is 2,520 miles long and since a brief border war in 1962 both countries have disputed the border region. In September this year Chinese forces (once again) made incursions across the border resulting in a 2 week stand-off between India and China.

The U.S and India just released a joint statement expressing concern over rising tensions in the South China Sea and urging all parties to 'avoid the use, or threat of use, of force in advancing their claims' without of course naming China.

China's water war

The Three Gorges Dam, China

The Chinese are in the process of damming most of the major rivers flowing out of the Himalayas, this is estimated to effect around 1 billion people. The projects won't just effect the overall standard of living of the people both physically and economically, it will also effect the natural habitats downstream as well. Rivers are the lifeblood of our fragile eco-system and dams change their natural flow - such a massive plan of dam expansion will serve a death blow to countless species.

The areas effected by the planned dams will be India, Bangladesh, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar and of course China itself.

U.S vs China

This is our new reality. China is a world power and will act accordingly. The U.S may not like it, will probably do everything it can to stop China acting in ways it doesn't approve of but in the end these arenas are China's backyard and they're not going to back down. It's unlikely either will openly risk conflict, it's in neither's best interest, having said that though neither one will actively step back and let the other win. It's another point of conflict in a world teeming with conflict. Expect more of the same!