Re: Vietnam's anger over China maritime moves

[Guest guest]

Whoever wrote this article has a bad grasp of history.

China has a history of invading and occupying Vietnam going back nearly 2,000 years. Occupations lasted for hundreds of years and saw constant revolts against Chinese domination. Even when the Chinese were kicked out, they never stayed away for long before attacking again and trying to conquer Vietnam again. Because of this Vietnam tended to look to its west toward India more than north to China for cultural influences.

China and Vietnam cooperated during the French Indochina War that later sucked in the United States, the action we called the Vietnam War (even though it never was officially a war but a "peacekeeping operation" or some other nonsense). It wasn't long as the US pulled out of South Vietnam, and then ungraciously cut all military aid to the South which gutted their military and left them easy prey for the Northern Communists, that the North defeated the South. Shortly after this, instead of harmonious relations with their larger Communist neighbors, China and Vietnam fought a border war with each other.

Since that time there have been issues now and then between the two countries and Vietnam likely considers China its main threat. Given the history of the region, why wouldn't they?

In a message dated 6/7/2011 2:13:47 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Vietnam has also tried hard not to offend its neighbour China, with whom it has had a long and close relationship, though turbulent at times.

[Guest guest]

" Whoever wrote this article has a bad grasp of history. "

You are correct. China has been the bully of the reason for time out of mind. I

once tutored a woman from Burma who told me that even though her country hated

the Japanese for the atrocities they committed against her people, she couldn't

hel but feel a bit of inner satisfaction for the jabs Japan managed to get in

with China which they consider an annoying meddler and busybody.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

China has long considered itself the Middle Kingdom, or the kingdom between heaven and earth. As such they have also thought they were the best thing going for centuries. They would look down on other Asian people, and still do to a great extent, and stomp all over them any chance they got. Even Japan paid a tribute for a long time to keep the Chinese away from them, even though the Chinese attempted several invasions of the islands.

The only thing that really saved the other Asians was the terrible corruption that existed in China. The reality was that life was brutal in China with the landlords and nobles cruelly oppressing the peasants. Beyond that the bureaucrats so terrorized everyone and had so much power than they effectively froze China in place and even made it backslide. By that I mean Chinese buildings looked a lot alike because the bureaucrats prepared a mandated set of building blocks, kind of like rules for what kinds of Lego bricks are made, that buildings could be made from. Many other restrictions also existed mainly in the name of cultural homogenation and uniformity of what "China" meant throughout the empire. However, it also stifled innovation and technological progress. They were ahead of the West in some regards, but because of the crushing centralization and control, they stayed where they were or even lost technology while the West caught up and passed them. Indeed if Westerners hadn't tried to force open Chinese markets back in the day, at which they were only marginally successful just like today, China would probably still be as it was centuries ago.

In a message dated 6/7/2011 1:07:04 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

You are correct. China has been the bully of the reason for time out of mind. I once tutored a woman from Burma who told me that even though her country hated the Japanese for the atrocities they committed against her people, she couldn't hel but feel a bit of inner satisfaction for the jabs Japan managed to get in with China which they consider an annoying meddler and busybody.Administrator

[Guest guest]

China has long considered itself the Middle Kingdom, or the kingdom between heaven and earth. As such they have also thought they were the best thing going for centuries. They would look down on other Asian people, and still do to a great extent, and stomp all over them any chance they got. Even Japan paid a tribute for a long time to keep the Chinese away from them, even though the Chinese attempted several invasions of the islands.

The only thing that really saved the other Asians was the terrible corruption that existed in China. The reality was that life was brutal in China with the landlords and nobles cruelly oppressing the peasants. Beyond that the bureaucrats so terrorized everyone and had so much power than they effectively froze China in place and even made it backslide. By that I mean Chinese buildings looked a lot alike because the bureaucrats prepared a mandated set of building blocks, kind of like rules for what kinds of Lego bricks are made, that buildings could be made from. Many other restrictions also existed mainly in the name of cultural homogenation and uniformity of what "China" meant throughout the empire. However, it also stifled innovation and technological progress. They were ahead of the West in some regards, but because of the crushing centralization and control, they stayed where they were or even lost technology while the West caught up and passed them. Indeed if Westerners hadn't tried to force open Chinese markets back in the day, at which they were only marginally successful just like today, China would probably still be as it was centuries ago.

In a message dated 6/7/2011 1:07:04 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

You are correct. China has been the bully of the reason for time out of mind. I once tutored a woman from Burma who told me that even though her country hated the Japanese for the atrocities they committed against her people, she couldn't hel but feel a bit of inner satisfaction for the jabs Japan managed to get in with China which they consider an annoying meddler and busybody.Administrator