The test flight of the prototype J-20 has further reduced the technological gap between the Western advanced nations and China

By China Watcher

This is one piece of good news for the Chinese people throughout the world. The Chinese people are catching up with the “whites” from the Western world. The development of an Aircraft Killer Missile, the Dongfeng 21D, is another sign that the Chinese are developing weapons to cope with the aggressive US posture in Asia.

The Chinese military aviation industry has made impressive strides over the past 15 years in narrowing the technological gap with the world’s advanced aviation powers. In the mid-1990s, China was struggling to produce third-generation, 1970s-era combat aircraft that were 20-to-30 years behind their global counterparts. After major structural reforms and considerable assistance from Russia and also from its homebred scientists, China is now able to manufacture an indigenous fighter aircraft such as the Chengdu J-10 and Shenyang J-11 that are only 10-to-15 years behind the most advanced Western models. The successful test flight of the J-20, even though the quality of its craft is not known, has to a certain extent indicated that the Chinese has further reduced this gap.

I agreed that the J-20 is still in the testing phase and it will take a while for the planes to be introduced for military use. But the indigenously develop stealth aircraft proved the resolute determination of the Chinese people to bring its technological advancement to be ON PAR with the Western world in 10-20 years time. China has stated clearly that it is in no position to threaten the US military might at this juncture, given the state of its own military readiness and the US edge on weapon power alone which the US still holds even when compared to the Russian military.

Some Western critics from the many China bashing media (The Independent -UK and the Guardian-UK) loudly claimed that the Chinese would not be able to close the gap and has confidently maintained that the US military superiority would not be challenged in the next 50 years. It is clear the United Kingdom is not mention here as the UK is a smaller “brother” of the US. Somehow I noted that there is a tinge of widespread jealously in the many articles coming from the Caucasian based community which convinced me further that there so worried or fearful about losing their political and military dominance as well as influence. As a rational person, I personally believe that the fulcrum of power will change according to time and I sense that the time is now ripe for a gradual decline of the “Western Empire” of which I may not live to see the collapse of these bragging societies but perhaps, in another 50-100 years from now. We are already seeing some symptoms of Chinese political influence throughout the world but the West as expounded by its many so called international media failed to accept the fact or choose not to accept the real situations.

The Chinese should openly thank the embargo of high-tech weapons from the EU and the US for motivating them to embark on its own intensive research project to use its own resources in the development of high-tech weapons. It may take a longer time but it makes the country self sufficient and less reliant of the Western world. I applaud the Chinese and its inborn culture to be self reliant and the strong perseverance to achieve its eventual objective however difficult the task may pose to be. The Western created Iraq war opened up the eyes of the Chinese on how the US literally uses technology to defeat the “enemies” with the least number of human fatalities.

Over the past one week, the Chinese has stated that the development of advanced weapons like the stealth is not a threat to neighboring countries and it is more for defense. In Chinese viewpoint, “defence” would mean protecting its “core security interest”, which includes:

1. the possible secession of Taiwan by the independence forces (promoted by the Western world) and the assistance from the US forces in the outbreak of a war.
2. the protection of sea lanes in the transportation of raw materials/resources needed by its industries, which is normal for a nation which rely heavily on imported natural resources like oil and coal.
3. a stronger bargaining position in the negotiation of territorial disputes with Japan, India and some of the South East Asian countries.

The above are the 3 main reasons why China embarked on a military modernization over the past 2 decades. There is no threat to US dominance in the Asia Pacific unless the US interferes in the event of a war between the Taiwanese independence forces and China.

There was this one person (a Caucasian I think) who posed 3 questions in a China bashing article:
1. If China is such a peaceful nation and at peace with all its neighbors and distant nations, then why do they need to spend money on such high tech military equipment?
2. Who do they fear will attack them and why?
3. Who do they think they need to attack and why?

It is the right of every nation to develop itself whether it is economical or military and the 3 reasons for China are given above. The Iraq War has shown to the Chinese that if the bargaining odds are down they could be attacked by an aggressor, like the US. The need to attack is more to prevent a unilateral secession of Taiwan from the motherland of which the West chooses not to accept this fact.

If the US has the right to continuously upgrade and improved the power of its weapons, why is this right not given to China? I am sure you know the answer.

To the many Western critics or the supporters of the US, don’t be too sure that the US military superiority cannot be challenged at all. Just wait and see in another 20 years.

Happy New Year 2011

I would like to wish all my followers and readers a very Happy New Year 2011.

Awakening China will continue to highlight press report especially reports from the West which is bias and has no basis but with an anti-China bashing agenda.

Let's hope that 2011 will see more progress in our struggle for equality and less dominance by a presumed superpower, greater respect for self governance and model of democracy for the good of all Chinese citizens and not catering for a few minorities.

My wish - I sincerely hope the Chinese government could strengthen its efforts further to combat corruption (which is still at a high level) and continue its effort to curb degradation of the environment (pollution level), which brings about an unhealthy culture that retards societal growth as well as the improvement of the quality of lives of its own people.

China Watcher