Give me a break! The Chinese have the same problems that the Russians had and we thought they were really bad asses.

Until they solve these same problems they will always be a 3rd class country with a 2nd class military.

1. They have to feed themselves.

2. They have to develop new supplies of potable water.

3. They have to develop an all season transportation network.

4. They have flood problems, family planning problems, language problems, environmental problems.

5. They have hositile religious and ethnic minorities.

6. They have curruption on a staggering scale, especially in the Military.

7. Enemies on every border (except for N. Korea and they can have them).

 

A

Everyone has these problems.

Depends on how you define the necessary coverage. They have a system that covers all major and medium population centers. There are problems with the little Podunk communities in the back beyond, but that just takes time. There are still communities in most 1st world countries that accept annual isolation as a way of life. There is also western China, which is much like the American Midwest in the early 20th century for population distribution.

 

One thing that really drives the creation of an all weather transportation network is the availability of suitable, cheap, materials. The most important are fill being disposed of from other construction sites (free), and a waterproof topping material, which for roads is asphalt, which is a waste disposal problem for refineries. China’s massive construction program is supplying the fill, and their growing refinery capacity is supplying the asphalt, the rest is only a matter of time.

Most of their own creation. But that does not hold countries back and sometimes helps. The European countries were that way until after WWII. Not only didn’t stop them, but actually drove development.

And there you have the cause of the collapse of the USSR and China’s problems. Until the corruption problem is solved they can’t make 1st class. But that is the only problem you listed that doesn’t matter or won’t fix itself.

 

Unfortunately for them their corruption is cultural problem. (i.e. very hard to solve)

China is coming into a world power.  Nationalism is at an all time high, their economical growth is

better than most countries, and a new middle class is growing.  Most Chinese will admit to their

country's corruption, but over all they appear to support the new world view of Chinese military power.

 

China is growing her Navy, she's advancing threats to nearly every country that is in the South China

sea's, and she is pretty sure the US won't get involved in a conflict that has no bearing on our economics.

  China's Army is upgrading their technology.  China will become a super power (if not all ready) within

 the decade. 

 

If a war breaks out between China and the US, I still like the US to win, but it won't be a push over.

Their x-ray lensing technique is superior to the Russian and American tech they stole. Just now are the Americans

figuring out how to duplicate that effect in their own fission boosters in the peanut configuration.

 

Belisarius