I imagine you have all heard of China. However, I don’t believe many of you truly know the extent at which their government befuddles the free world and obfuscates their noncompliance with any form of moral government to the people. The People’s Republic of China’s obvious insidious motives and their ability to achieve those goals suggests that there are two options for our society: put an immediate and definite end to the threat, or allow it to slowly dominate our society and politics. That is why I believe that whether by diplomatic or military means, China must be subdued to release the oppression of their presence on their citizens and countries of the world.
To illustrate their malicious intent, China has been continuously bullying their lesser neighbors into ever-occurring disputes over land claims and trade routes. The Philippines, for example, are harassed for their outskirt islands and oceanic zones by China. To create more of a base for their claims, China constructs artificial islands in the South China Sea, putting industrial and military installations on top of these islands. Nevertheless, China’s aggressive nature does not stop at land-building, as they have also waged war against the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan. In the Taiwan Strait Crises, outskirt islands were invaded, villages were bombarded, and missiles were fired against the more democratic sister nation. The administration of the People’s Republic of China has changed little since.
Many of these conflicts are little-known to the general public, thus attributing to China’s perceived innocence. Moreover, to Europe, China seems like nothing but a new trading partner, since trade has been shifted away from the United States as of late. Specifically, China is pushing a new economic policy of funding foreign infrastructure called the Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at 152 developing or other weakened countries. As of March of this year, Italy became the first G7 nation to sign onto this deal; with other nations such as Serbia already guzzling money from China. However, many economists believe that China may be baiting countries and competitors into deep debt traps, to give China pretense to exert their control over these debtor nations. Nevertheless, nations like Uganda and Serbia construct large highways and roads take more and more loans to try to revive their countries; all the while falling right into China’s trap. As you can see, China can fight freedom economically as well as militarily.
On the other hand, the people China presides over are as horribly treated as their political opponents, if not worse. For instance, in the western reaches of China there is a Muslim minority called the Uyghurs, of which over a million are detained, never to leave their prisons without the learning of Mandarin Chinese, the casting aside of their traditional dress, and “de-radicalization”. These detention facilities are simply concentration camps because of their selection of inmates; however how they are specifically being treated is unknown due to Chinese censorship. Another instance of China’s disregard for human rights is the current Hong Kong situation. In the streets of Hong Kong non-violent protestors are hailed with tear gas, beaten with batons, shot with live rounds, and having their homes and hospitals broken into in order for the police to arrest them. Only in America’s darkest days has anything resembling a fraction of this ever happened, but this has gone on for months. Hong Kong, which has access to the outside internet, has been advocating for the withdrawal of one bill, some minor reforms, and their recognition as innocent protestors, but is instead met with censorship and police brutality.
To summarize, China is not fit to govern in a free world. They are ruthlessly expanding their power and subjugating their citizens to the point of the prophetic novel 1984. Because of this, the Chinese government should be coerced into either changing their policies and methods, or forced into a freer system by a coalition of nations. To elaborate, both of these options would require support from the United Nations, in order to apply enough pressure, and if necessary, force. To illustrate, by using non-military means the United Nations could cut off most trade from this growing China, stifling their ability to achieve any infrastructure or trade goals. This would provide a respite for the Philippines and Taiwan, as well as prevent any more inroads into their domination of the Pacific seas. A 192 country coalition, even if only 7 contribute, could also successfully topple the regime. By simply supporting the actual combatants, the bystander nations would ensure that China would not use nuclear weapons, as China is completely outnumbered, and in terms of nuclear weapons, outgunned. This is a guarantee that China would avoid using weapons of mass destruction on their soil during a regime change, as to avoid annihilating their lands in a lost cause. In addition, a coalition led campaign can be used to great effect, as shown in the Gulf War, where numbers and thus overall flexibility of forces led to easy victory.
In conclusion, seeing as the People’s Republic of China is a danger and a looming threat to democratic civilization, we as a nation should take great action to negate or delay this dystopian calamity.
I understand that invading any country, especially one China's size would be a long, bloody task; especially since mankind can be wiped out by nuclear weapons if the combatants so choose. However, that might not be the only option, with less apocalyptic consequences in the more pacifist but strong decisions. Sanctions and international efforts may very well bring China to its knees and put a stop to their authoritarian expansion. But no matter how, I know that the free world needs to act now. What are your thoughts?
**Edit: The speech doesn't say that the only option is invading, that's just the hook. The sanest way would probably be to pressure China via the UN or through trade embargoes. And another thing I've seen is considering could over the should. None of us are politicians, nevermind of any status, so it's just speculation and what we want the world to look like. China seems to be the largest obstacle in a freer world, and removing their power is what this is all about.
