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Comment by Nevermark | Hacker News Reader

> You need two to tango [...]

> Anyone only blaming one side need to stop for a second [...]

When it comes to military coercion (wars, threats), and imperialism, it only takes one bad actor to cause problems.

When there are two sides, or three, it just means more actors willing to push around everyone else.

Albeit, they amplify each other. Their respective needs to dominate encourage each others' aggressive tendencies. And it is much easier to justify/ignore/repeat misbehaviors when there are other aggressors to point at.

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The point I was trying to make (probably made a bad job at it) is that there is more than one bad actor in the Pacific and the person I replied to only blames one side.

Sure, the US has their bases there (many since WW2), but we can't blame the US alone when we also have China making threats and claims that scare the heck out of other countries. The US doesn't need to move a finger to have Taiwan or Philippines on their side... these countries know what they're up against and will, for obvious reasons, want to have a "big guy" on their side.

In a few years China will not only have US bases around them, but also a handful of countries that won't side with them on anything. And that's how the next version of the "Pacific NATO" will be created... the US will of course take advantage of it, but it could not exist without a China that makes overreaching claims, threats, and their huge military.

> it could not exist without a China that makes overreaching claims, threats, and their huge military.

Good point.

Year after year, China was outpacing the world economically in numbers and strategic position.

Their future appeared to have no ceiling.

But they self-sabotaged by reverting from quietly accumulating strength to loudly showcasing strength via consolidation & provocation.

Despite no pressing need, they amplified military risk, economic & technological friction, undermined trust & provoked intense global resistance. The strategic value they destroyed is immense:

Poof! The presumed “Century of China” looks very different now. More like another Cold War.

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