So?
Yep. My thoughts exactly. Northern Australia and large, inflexible vessels like the Virginia class aren't a good mix. I wouldn't describe the Collins as quiet, but it sure as hell is nimble and agile. In the hands of a good crew, it's proven itself incredibly capable against far more advanced adversaries in exercises with the Americans by using that agility and small size to its advantage. All that experience and sound tactics would be lost... It's a shame, her sailors skill and know how with their vessels should be respected. They deserve better than being shouldered with the results of some BS American obsession over a new cold war.
Thank god the Americans know better, and would never do such a thing....
I was speaking of the nouveau riche mainlanders who visit the Philippines and act like they own the place. Those are the people who give China a bad image.
As for the diaspora: it was not a shit observation nor a moral judgment. I was stating the facts and you and @ansy1968 corroborated them. Call it racism or envy or whatever, but the fact is the Chinese diaspora was historically not that much liked in the SEA countries.
One example that came to my mind: they managed to antagonize Indonesia who is not even a claimant in the SCS dispute. The Chinese Coast Guard obstructed the Indonesians on several occasions from enforcing their EEZ rights.
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A hurdle that the governments in these countries would have to overcome should they choose to align with the PRC. Unless the PRC is prepared to make concessions to their claims in the SCS, it might be a hard sell to the domestic audiences.
I wonder if economic improvements via the Belt-and-Road Initiative will be enough to mollify the ASEAN population, with promises from China for more development if the SCS issues become resolved. Essentially, trading SCS claims (which, lets be honest, isn't really an economic engine for most of these countries) for Chinese investment on the homeland (which will directly create jobs, improve infrastructure, and lead to a better quality of life).
That's not how it works. Americans abroad draw upon the power of their PR machinery which China doesn't have. Americans misbehaving abroad can be excused and get away with it as individual transgression but China can't.
China's opaque legal and political systems work against it as people outside of it have no idea how things work there.
If these tourists were such a problem as you say then they would have been banned. It’s a non issue. On wealth distribution, racism against Chinese can not be the foundation of any possible alliance for China, it’s a nonstarter.
Most of the 11 SEA countries don’t have territorial disputes with China. Those with less racist views of Chinese will be more easily align with China. As for the anti Chinese racists they should be kept out.