By Paul Chong  26 July 2015

I am trying to make sense out of the military expenditures between US & China. As a matter of fact, it makes no sense at all that US should spend an amount equivalent to all these countries in the chart above namely: China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, United Kingdom, France, Japan India, Germany & South Korea. US military spending dwarfs the rest of the world. Can any military strategist justify for the need to dwarf the world?

US geographical location is supreme & utterly safe from foreign invasions when compared to the rest of the world. Its borders are utterly not threatened. To the north is friendly neighbour Canada, & to the south is Mexico (certainly not a power to match) The west coast is protected by the vast Pacific Ocean & the Atlantic Ocean takes care of its eastern shores. Further, it would be suicidal for any lesser country to threaten US.

US has never been invaded or threatened right from its founding over two hundred years ago . . . nor can we see any present power of today trying to do so. It has pretty won all the wars it joined or started.

On the other hand, it’s US all the way threatening others & creating all round havoc & chaos for the world. Its warring & meddling hands are evidenced everywhere as in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria . . . in the past waging wars beyond its borders had met with futile repercussions & defeats as in Korea & Vietnam. US unilaterally pushes its military might upon the sovereignties of others under the guise of WMD (weapons of mass destruction), regime change, the probation of democracy, human rights . . . all to camouflage its hidden agenda of world hegemony.

I dare say that US, as aggressive as it is, would never be content & feel safe itself until its might & power are upon all the countries in the world. If not, the fact is clearly evidenced by the way it plays being the Big Brother of mankind.

Let’s take a look at China. Why is the world so jittery over China increasing its military budget spending, particularly US? After it’s only a pittance compared to US, and still by far way behind US in terms of sheer size & might. For a country the size of China with 1.4 billion population this minuscule percentage of its GDP is negligible.

In all fairness & without bias, we shall examine China along the same perspective. Whereas China’s rise in economic power has not met with any obstacle, the same however cannot be said of its military might. Interferences & hindrances are clearly there for instance in China’s effort settling up the AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank).

Historically, China has been great & mighty, but unlike western powers it had never encroached upon other sovereignties conquering others & leaving trails of destruction. In the past & as of today, China was/is interested in trading ties. China today is doing just that doing win-win deals Africa, South America & just about any country interested to deal with China.

China for all its mighty past had never got greater beyond its borders. It was the inward looking mindset of the China in ancient times, living in isolation from the rest of the world that resulted in little progress. The Great Wall of China was built in essence to keep the barbarians out. Renaissance & industrial revolution never touched China as they did for the western world, including Japan.

China was badly humiliated by Japan during WW2 and suffered utter destruction by invading western powers, each carving out portions of China & occupying them. It was utter shame. China was so weak to be able to do anything. Xi Jinping is ensuring that such shame never recur.

With the US constantly lurking in South China Sea, interfering with Taiwan returning to its motherland, trying to set its foot hold close to China, non-stop demonisation of China, forever threatening to teach China a lesson with its Seventh Fleet, having liaison with Japan & South Korea with military drills on land & at sea, are something to be worrying for China.

China will never invade others, as proven by its thousands of years history. With US increasing its military budget & build-up, China could never match US might.

Today, China is building infrastructure all over the world . . . highways, railways, ports, airports to help boost countries to develop. Its win-win policies are attracting tens 7 hundreds of participation. Chinas is also reviving its past Silk Route trade & making headways towards re-establishing its maritime trade route. In all corners of the world, Chinese are aiding with their economic strength. The policy of peaceful harmonious co-existence, as first initiated by past-president Hu Jintao, is being continued.

For the good of mankind, let China be. The sleeping dragon is awakened to carry on its benevolent deeds & deals . . . co-operation rather than domination.