China's Emergence as a Superpower (2015 onwards)

[AdamG]

OVER the weekend Xi Jinping welcomed 28 heads of state and government to Beijing for a coming-out party, which continues today, to celebrate the “belt and road” initiative, his most ambitious foreign policy. Launched in 2013 as “one belt, one road”, it involves China underwriting billions of dollars of infrastructure investment in countries along the old Silk Road linking it with Europe. The ambition is immense. China is spending roughly $150bn a year in the 68 countries that have signed up to the scheme. The summit meeting (called a forum) has attracted the largest number of foreign dignitaries to Beijing since the Olympic Games in 2008. Yet few European leaders are showing up. For the most part they have ignored the implications of China’s initiative. What are those implications and is the West right to be sanguine?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/econo...roadinitiative

[AdamG]

On Sunday, China began laying out its grand vision to the world for reviving the ancient Silk Road, attempting to issue in a new era where camel caravans have been replaced by cargo trains and treasure galleons replaced by freighters laden with socks and gadgets, all emanating from the Middle Kingdom.
In a 45-minute address opening the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave a glossy overview of the historically-inspired "One Belt, One Road" initiative he launched back in 2013 to expand trade links between Asia, Europe, Africa and beyond. In his speech, Xi called the initiative the "project of the century" which promises to usher forth a new "golden age" of globalization.
"The glory of the ancient silk routes shows that geographical distance is not insurmountable. If we take the first courageous step towards each other, we can embark on a path leading to friendship, shared development, peace, harmony and a better future," Xi proclaimed.
In this ambitious trillion-dollar effort spanning countries and continents, Xi vowed during his speech that China would provide $125 billion of funding, $9 billion of which will go as aid to developing countries that join the global scheme.

http://shanghaiist.com/2017/05/15/silk-road-summit.php

[AdamG]

BEIJING (AP) -- China's increasingly powerful navy launched its most advanced domestically produced destroyer on Wednesday, at a time of rising competition with other naval powers such as the United States, Japan and India.
The first 10,000-ton Type 055 entered the water at Shanghai's Jiangnan Shipyard on Wednesday morning, the navy said in a statement.
It said the ship is equipped with the latest air, missile, ship and submarine defense systems. China is believed to be planning to produce four of the ships.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...06-28-00-15-10

[AdamG]

China began construction of a logistics base in strategically located Djibouti last year that will resupply naval vessels taking part in peacekeeping and humanitarian missions off the coasts of Yemen and Somalia, in particular.

This will be China’s first overseas naval base, although Beijing officially terms it a logistics facility.

Xinhua said in a short report late on Tuesday the ships had departed from Zhanjiang in southern China “to set up a support base in Djibouti”.

http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplo...-base-djibouti

[davidbfpo]

Hat tip to WoTR for having an Indian analyst, from India, contribute this wide-ranging review of the impact of the PRC's base - being built - in Djibouti:

Beijing’s new base in Djibouti marks the start of a longer-term enterprise aimed at embedding China into the geopolitics of the Indian Ocean.

There is a curious part on how should India react, even advocating a naval response in the Western Pacific.
Link:https://warontherocks.com/2017/08/ch...ons-for-india/

There are African aspects to the base, background maybe found on this thread:China's Expanding Role in Africa

[AdamG]

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s air force has carried out exercises near the Korean peninsula, practicing to defend against a “surprise attack” coming over the sea, Chinese state media said.
The exercises came days after North Korea’s sixth, and most powerful, nuclear test fueled global concern that the isolated nation plans more weapons tests, possibly of a long-range missile.
An anti-aircraft defense battalion held the exercises early on Tuesday, near the Bohai Sea, the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea that separates China from the Korean peninsula, an official military website said.
Troops traveled to the site from central China before immediately beginning drills to fend off the “surprise attack” simulating real battle, it said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ch...KCN1BH1CY?il=0

[AdamG]

U.S. Intelligence Sees China's Military Expanding Bases Globally
Bloomberg

China’s first overseas military base in the small African country of Djibouti is “probably the first of many” the country intends to build around the world, which could bring its interests into conflict with the U.S., according to American intelligence officials. “China has the fastest-modernizing military in the world next to the United States,” according to insights provided Thursday by U.S. intelligence officials, who asked not to be identified discussing the information.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...bases-globally