China’s aggressive military buildup might be a matter of serious concern for Western countries, especially the United States. But it is aimed at preventing a World War 3, at least that’s what military officials in Beijing believe. The People’s Liberation Army Daily said in a lengthy editorial Thursday that the country was building a stronger military to “prevent disasters such as World War II.”
Some countries use ‘gangster logic’ to bully others
Ahead of the commemorations to mark the end of the second World War, the People’s Liberation Army’s official newspaper said that the country’s past military weakness led to escalation of the conflict more than 70 years ago. Chinese President Xi Jinping is headed to Russia to attend the Victory Day celebrations. The Chinese government is also organizing a series of events to mark the end of Word War II, including a military parade in Beijing in September.
The newspaper said that the primary reason China suffered the Japanese invasion was its weak military. You “will get a thrashing” when your military is backward, it said. The Chinese army mouthpiece added that there are some countries that use “gangster logic” to threaten others with the use of force. China is set to boost its defense spending by 10.1% to $142 billion this year.
China’s ambitions go beyond preventing a World War 3
China has openly supported Russia as tensions between Moscow and the West continue to escalate. Russia has repeatedly threatened nuclear attacks on Western countries, including the United States. Washington is also building up military presence in Europe to counter Russian aggression. An escalation in tensions between the West and Russia could easily trigger a World War 3, considering Moscow was fully prepared to use nuclear weapons during the annexation of Crimea last year.
China and Russia will also conduct joint naval exercises in the Mediterranean Sea next week. The two countries almost went to war in 1960s over a border dispute in 1960s. But relations between them have improved significantly, mainly because they have a common enemy (read United States). Security experts believe that the U.S. foreign policy is forcing China, Russia and Iran to form an alliance against the West.
