A photo of Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy warships in 2014. PLAN Photo
In this Op-Ed, I am wading into a hornet's nest that is bound to stir controversy and bring unwanted criticism to myself for failing to be "politically correct" on an issue I have been writing about for years. China, and their subsequent military build-up and unwarranted territorial claims in the South China Sea, is a product of corporate greed and the raw exhibitionism of corporations who value profit and power over their own country's health and welfare. Furthermore, "Free Trade Agreements" are code for the death of American jobs, corporate accountability, and the subsequent death of the American Dream.
In February of 2010, I wrote a scathing Op-Ed on China and their unholy allegiance with corporate America and Wal-Mart. As the situation worsens, I am reminded that as early as 2004, I warned that outsourcing our jobs to China and other nations would lead to an economic collapse and propping up a nation that would one day become our worst nightmare. Here is an excerpt:
"Real Cause Of Tension Between China And USA Is Not Being Reported By MSM
"Today's rift in our relationship with China began several years ago when globalization was in its infancy. China's ascendancy as a leading economic power was not due to Chinese ingenuity, nor are its new weapons systems that rival some of our own and threaten the West's domination of sea and air power in the Asiatic region. They had help and that 'help' came primarily from Wal-Mart and the constant industrial/military espionage that has allowed China to become a global power. China's economic strength was fostered by corporate greed and their abject (American corporations) refusal to refrain from transferring vital western technology to a nation that has constantly displayed an utter disregard for human rights, unnecessary and brutal aggressive behavior as they seek to implement their 'One-China Policy,' their systematic migrations of Han Chinese into local cultures to destroy centuries of tradition and allow the Han Chinese to destroy other ethnic interests, and constant stonewalling of the United Nations Security Council for economic reasons that benefit China's quest to corral natural resources throughout the world. American corporations are acutely aware of the danger of Chinese industrial/military espionage, yet because the 'God of Profit' trumps national security, they still outsource more and more American manufacturing capability to China contributing to what has become a direct threat to our economic survival." LINK
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I suggest reading this article written five years ago and then compare it to today's issues that are a constant thorn in Chinese relations with most of their close neighbors. The above article describes in great detail why Wal-Mart shares much of the blame for China's expansion.
I also read the article, "Reckless, Dangerous, Irresponsible": US Warship Provokes Beijing in South China Sea," written and posted by "Common Dreams." I found the piece interesting to say the least. I believe that Common Dreams did an excellent job of presenting the facts and commentary from Chinese officials as well as other news outlets, however, found none of their own commentary on this issue. I do understand that this is a sensitive issue; however, it is an issue that we brought upon ourselves. The unmitigated greed of corporate America has created a beast in the Sino-American relations just as we created ISIS in the Middle East by starting a war based on lies and misrepresentations.
It is also important to remember that less than a month ago, Chinese Warships Made 'Innocent Passage' Through U.S. Territorial Waters off Alaska. How did the United States react to this intrusion into our territorial waters? To quote the above article, I found this bit of information to be telling:
"Under international law a warship can transit through a nation's territorial waters 'so long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal state,' according to Article 19 of the UNLOSC."
Please note that the United States did not indulge themselves in histrionics in regard China's passage through our territorial waters with five (5) warships! Also take note that we did not make passage through China's 12-mile limited territorial waters, but through the South China Sea where China is being the bully and attempting to secure oil and gas interests from several of our allies in a move that I can only describe as nefarious! Where does the United States draw the line? We have existing treaties with several of the nations that China is attempting to infringe upon, and what is being done to protect those treaties and our interests in the area?
To be clear, in this issue, it is China taking on the role as an aggressor, NOT the United States! If we listen to their hysterical diatribe about the United States attempting to force a confrontation, if that were the case, we would have done it in our own territorial waters as described above. Instead, we observed International Maritime Law, and the Chinese would so well to do the same.
In the meantime, I believe it is time for the United States to gradually pull out of several of our manufacturing facilities in their country and bring those jobs back to America. We do not manufacture enough antibiotics and other drugs in this country to maintain our own national security if relations sour completely with China. We also depend much too heavily on imports from China to sustain our economy when they could, and were manufactured in the United States of America before outsourcing them to China.
It was our corporate greed and globalization that built up the Chinese economy and I warned over a decade ago that it would result in a dire threat to our economy and national security. Fast forward to today, and we sit on the cusp of re-ordering our relationship with China, and the first order of business should be to bring our jobs home and support America's middle class -- not China's!
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