China Replacing USA in Asia

The U.S. is blindly heading for servitude to China, if not world war.

Washington Blinks: Will Seek Partnership With China-Led Development Bank

Because the AIIB effectively represents the beginning of the end for US hegemony, the White House has demeaned the effort from its inception questioning the ability of non-G-7 nations to create an institution that can be trusted to operation in accordance with the proper “standards.” Now, with 35 nations set to join as founders, it appears Washington may be set to concede defeat.

China's plan is very simple.

Stage One: start by conceding all that must be conceded to the superior power including tribute, in order to avoid damage and obtain whatever forbearance is offered. But this in itself entangles the ruling class of the still-superior power in webs of material dependence that reduce its independent vitality and strength.

Stage Two: offer equality in a privileged bipolarity that excludes all lesser powers, or “G-2” in current parlance. That neutralizes the still powerful Other party, and isolates the manipulated soon-to-be former equal from all its potential allies, preventing from balancing China with a coalition.

Stage Three: finally, when the formerly superior power has been weakened enough, withdraw all tokens of equality and impose subordination.

The Cycles—or Stages—of Chinese History

There is no existential threat from China, instead they are a competitor nation seeking to shift the global balance of power in their favor. While India is more friendly to the U.S., it too will seek a similar shift in global power. India's economy is awakening and has already surpassed China as the fastest growing. Within a decade, India will be at least as powerful economically as China was a decade ago. Simple math says the U.S. will be eclipsed by far larger economies and trying to maintain leadership is a fool's errand that will bankrupt the nation.

The current U.S. response seems to fall into two camps. One continues to waste American blood and treasure on efforts that will surely fail, if only due to math. The other seeks to give up power as an end unto itself, a reflexively anti-American quasi-isolationism. There is a third way: a rational, self-interested foreign policy, something largely missing since the end of the Cold War. Instead of unsustainable pathological altruism, the U.S. should aim to conserve and accumulate wealth and power. U.S. hegemony is over and this is not a bad thing or a good thing, but a new thing that cannot be stopped, short of an imperialistic war for global domination. Progressives do love war though.