China is turning the Mischef Reef into 'the heart' of the South China Sea

[ChineseTiger1986]

A beautiful paradise, does anyone plan to take a trip over there?

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

 

[21stCentury]

Amazing. Looks like an awesome vacation getaway.

 

[Muhammad Omar]

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

A beautiful paradise, does anyone plan to take a trip over there?

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Is this for real?

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Is this for real?

Of course, this is impending to become one of the best places for the honey moon for those newly married couples.

A great tourist destination in the South China Sea.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Of course, this is impending to become one of the best places for the honey moon for those newly married couples.

A great tourist destination in the South China Sea.

I still can't believe it. Mischief Reef is actually pretty close to Philippines.

 

[DoTell]

I still can't believe it. Mischief Reef is actually pretty close to Philippines.

Can you believe it if it is as close as Falkland is to Argentina, or Hawaii to the U.S.?

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Can you believe it if it is as close as Falkland is to Argentina, or Hawaii to the U.S.?

What matters my friend is not law, or who is right or wrong.
What matters is power, both hard and soft.
Your hard power right now isn't in the league of US, let alone US with all its allies.

Your soft power is even worse, where almost all countries in SE Asia are calling on to US to stay. US is turning International opinion against you gradually. The biggest problem with you guys is that you have no soft power at ALL.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

What matters my friend is not law, or who is right or wrong.
What matters is power, both hard and soft.
Your hard power right now isn't in the league of US, let alone US with all its allies.

Your soft power is even worse, where almost all countries in SE Asia are calling on to US to stay. US is turning International opinion against you gradually. The biggest problem with you guys is that you have no soft power at ALL.

Yep, China has zero soft power, almost all developed countries are voluntarily wanting to join the AIIB, and it has caused some superpower nation to lose all of its prestige.

And for sure, the shupa powa India got all the needed soft power thanked to your dancing/singing Bollywood movies.

 

[LacViet]

This is base of sea pirates, illegal stolen poverty.

 

[Bussard Ramjet]

Yep, China has zero soft power, almost all developed countries are voluntarily wanting to join the AIIB, and it has caused some superpower nation to lose all of its prestige.

And for sure, the shupa powa India got all the needed soft power thanked to your dancing/singing Bollywood movies.

Ummm... you are not realizing the definition of soft power. Other countries decision to join AIIB was simply based on economics. That is pure economic strategy. It comes in Hard Power side of the equation, because there are tangible favors being exchanged.

Soft Power is the ability to build legitimacy and lead. It is the ability to shape public opinion altogether, and to form narratives and identities.

I agree that often there is no soft power without hard power, yet these are separate.

An example- US has built an American identity even for the American natives they stole the land for, and the Hawaiians they stole from.

China in contrast is facing issues at home, in HK, Taiwan etc.

It is also facing huge issues with all countries that it has ethnic and cultural links with.

It is also being isolated in ASEAN.

 

[DoTell]

Russard, the keywords are what you said: "hard power" and "now". I'd like to think we have as much as soft power as Russia. But we don't have nearly as much as hard power, not now, not yet. Good news is that the islands aren't going anywhere. Given time, we will build enough "hard power" that can scorch the Earth several times over just like what the other super powers can do. By then no one will care what "soft power" is.

Funny thing is, how come Internet armchair generals like you understand we don't have enough power and yet the "international" opinion is still that we are a "bully". Bully how? And all these threats/posturing are going to make us become exactly what you don't want us to become.

Be careful what you wish for, cause you might just get it

 

[Place Of Space]

Welcome to the new world.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Ummm... you are not realizing the definition of soft power. Other countries decision to join AIIB was simply based on economics. That is pure economic strategy. It comes in Hard Power side of the equation, because there are tangible favors being exchanged.

Soft Power is the ability to build legitimacy and lead. It is the ability to shape public opinion altogether, and to form narratives and identities.

I agree that often there is no soft power without hard power, yet these are separate.

An example- US has built an American identity even for the American natives they stole the land for, and the Hawaiians they stole from.

China in contrast is facing issues at home, in HK, Taiwan etc.

It is also facing huge issues with all countries that it has ethnic and cultural links with.

It is also being isolated in ASEAN.

India can also establish a new entity like the AIIB and invite other nations to join, then see what gonna happen.

Russard, the keywords are what you said: "hard power" and "now". I'd like to think we have as much as soft power as Russia. But we don't have nearly as much as hard power, not now, not yet. Good news is that the islands aren't going anywhere. Given time, we will build enough "hard power" that can scorch the Earth several times over just like what the other super powers can do. By then no one will care what "soft power" is.

Funny thing is, how come Internet armchair generals like you understand we don't have enough power and yet the "international" opinion is still that we are a "bully". Bully how? And all these threats/posturing are going to make us become exactly what you don't want us to become.

Be careful what you wish for, cause you might just get it

The soft power is based on the hard power.

Without the hard power, there will be no soft power.