The Dutch and British navies are keeping watch on military naval exercises being played out in the Baltic Sea. The operation features 10 Russian warships which are of interest to NATO but another nation taking part is of interest to NATO also.
Sy News reported that China is taking part in the week long War Games in European waters and this is the first of its kind for China. A Chinese destroyer, a type 052D together with a tug and frigate is the Chinese contribution to the exercises. China has launched its first home grown aircraft carrier as China has blue water ambitions.
China militarily is becoming a big player on the stage and wants to match Russia, US and NATO naval forces. China has opened a new naval base on the Horn of Africa in Djibouti and this may be the beginning of many such bases once China has truly blue water global capability.
In the 21st Century, China is a regional super power but it knows having a truly global navy will make it a world super power.
Enter the Dragon
It seems power is gradually shifting away from the west to the east with the rise of the Chinese economy and its military strength. China has been flexing its muscles around disputed ownership of islands like the Spratley Islands and other land areas with its neighbours like Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, and others.
Then there is the tense situation with Taiwan that mainland China believes should return to the motherland and of top that a potential clash with the USA in those areas.
In history, Chinese civilisation goes back many thousands of years in one form or another begun by Emperor Chinn who conquered all other rival kingdoms. His mausoleum is still being excavated and is famous for the terracotta warriors and surprising technology for the time in weaponry, agriculture, and art.
China has been conquered in the past by the Mongols and then later exploited by European powers. Who can forget the Great Wall of China to stop invaders from attacking China although with the Mongols it was not always full proof?
It is the ambition too of the Chinese president to re-open the silk route - the old trade link from east to west.
But instead of merchants riding on camels or horses, he intends to make it a super-fast rail link.
Chinese cultural conquest?
One has to ask, with China becoming a global player both militarily and economically if Chinese pop culture will become dominant too? Just as American art, music, and culture have dominated the latter part of the 20th Century and beginning of this one.
Will the world population be listening to the latest Chinese popular music, admiring art and appreciating Chinese culture as time goes on?
China and its rise in the fields discussed in this article is a growing reality in the 21st Century that is for sure.
