• someguy3@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      There’s a string of Japanese islands from Japan to Taiwan called the Ryukyu Islands. If someone wanted to use those islands to block China in, it would be extremely simple. Between Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and in the South Philippines, Malaysia they are easily blocked in. If they have Taiwan they have an out, that’s why they want it so badly (besides all the other things).

      It really clicked in for me when I saw these kind of maps. These ones aren’t quite as good or blatant, you have to look a bit more carefully. Remember Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia are US allies.

      https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/an-astronauts-view-reveals-chinas-geopolitical-claustrophobia/

      https://www.geostrategy.org.uk/research/the-chinese-perspective-of-the-pacific-region/

        • someguy3@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          There was a time when China was being carved up just like Africa had been. They were a hair away from ending up like Africa. There’s plenty to not like about China, but I can understand their paranoia.

            • someguy3@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              Being invaded for centuries doesn’t make sense why they’re afraid of being invaded?

              Like I said there are plenty of things to not like about China, but I can understand their paranoia. That you can’t understand either of these statements sets off my bad faith spidy sense. Ciao.

              Edit: You think that’s busted? lol. Looks like I was right.

      • HomerianSymphony@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Remember Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia are US allies.

        It’s a little more than just being allies.

        The South Korean military is under US control. (South Korea has symbolic control during peace time, but “operational control” reverts to the US during wartime.) South Korea has been asking the US to give them operational control of their own army for decades, but the US has never done so.

        And Japan does not have its own army. As per the US-Japan Security Treaty (which was forced on Japan after WWII), the US military is in charge of the defense of Japan. The US has more troops in Japan than in any other foreign country.