History of China

Early Settlements

7000 BC- The first human settlements in Eastern China began to appear. They harnessed the water from the Yangtze river for agriculture; as was how society developed at the time. The lush plains with Goldilocks climate (not too hot, not too cold) proved lucrative in agriculture and the population quickly grew. To the north was the inhospitable cold, to the south was the dense jungle, to the east was the ocean, to the west were the Himalaya mountains and the Gobi desert. It was surrounded by naturally impenetrable land with plenty of fertile farmland readily available; the most ideal location to begin a civilization.

Settlements

Society

Around 2500 BC- The people group fortunate enough to settle in the area of Eastern China where they would grow to power were the Han peoples. Several people groups lost to history were completely assimilated by the Han Chinese. The peoples they conquered would be given into Han language, Han food, Han society, Han marriages, hence matchmaking culture. Such dominance and power led to the creation of an empire with dynasties.

Society, Religion, etc

Qin and Han Dynasties

221-206 BC- The Qin dynasty was established after it defeated all other states following the collapse of the Zhou. They re-centralized the government, introduced a legal system with law, a standardized system of measurement, a currency, and a written language. Like the predecessors, they were strictly legalistic and had incredibly strict laws. For the purpose of trade throughout their kingdom, they passed laws requiring even the axles of carts to be made completely uniform for the purpose of efficiency. As it turns out, our modern shipping crates were not the first. Moreover, it was them that constructed the Great Wall.

206 BC - 220 AD- After Liu Bang's state took down the other seventeen at the fall of the Qin dynasty, the Han dynasty took hold. It established complete control with a bureaucracy over much of the region that is China today, or at least the habitable parts; moreover, they begun to expand into more westward regions such as Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as South. The Han people were now the dominant people group in all of China, hence the dynasty's name. An era of peace and prosperity, paired with a switch to Confucianism (prioritizing stability and order), brought about an explosion in culture and science. They had discovered Gaussian elimination a millennium and half earlier than the Europeans did. Yet still, these were not their best achievement.

Stability and Conquest

Silk Road

"中国"

130 BC - 220 AD- The Han dynasty conquered the Tarim basin; a region west of China that would link it to Persia, and consequentially, the western world. Trade of both goods and culture flowed along it. For China, this solidified themselves as a legitimate and respectable world power and everyone wanted to get on their good side for their goods. The trade route, despite being named by Euro-centric Europeans, named it after a good from China; demonstrating the extent of their popularity and influence. was true. Life back then meant to work hard for Chinese goods so that one could sell those Chinese goods to work hard for more Chinese goods. China was at the center of the world.

220 - 618 AD- Decentralization from corrupt bureaucrats plagued the nation for very long, but typically was able to keep contact with the west. Despite the dissension, China was nevertheless relatively more stable than the west was with all its empires, wars, and revolutions. Trade, to an extent, was still maintained and China was still he center of the world.

618 - 907 AD- The Tang dynasty rose and saw with unprecedented prosperity. Like the Han, had a unified nation with peace and prosperity at its fingertips. Culture, art, and science could flourish once more. The Tang quickly opened the Silk Road through the Tarim basin. Moreover, they opened a port for international trade now known as Guangzhou, which became a cosmopolitan centered around trading with China. Large infrastructure projects were initiated and a meritocratic bureaucracy was established. Equal land distribution took hold with military service required to obtain it. At its peak, it stretched deep into modern day Kazakhstan all the way to the Pacific. They had spices, salt, sugar, silk, and porcelain in abundance, which were all highly coveted by the west; thus, to achieve meaningfulness meant to trade with the Tang.

The Silk Road

Tributary System

618 - 907 AD- Perhaps the greatest achievement of the Tang was their tributary system which only reasserted it as a major global power that everyone wanted to please. While tribute had been collected from China's neighbors prior, none had been as entrenched as the Tang dynasty's. Malacca, Brunei, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Ryūkyū, Tibet, Ceylon; they all lined up to pay tribute to the emperor.

1368 – 1644 AD- After another national dissolution and Mongolian conquest- where's China;s trade flowed nonetheless, the Ming dynasty arose. The Ming dynasty imposed a rule that any nation that desired to trade with China must enter the tributary system. Due to the extreme demand centered around Chinese goods, several joined the tributary system. Iranian states such as Alania, Khorana, Badakhshan; Indian states such as Bengal, Calicut, Kashmir; Arabia, Syria; Southeast Asian states such as Aru, Ava, Cambodia, Java; Slavic states such as Bukhara, and much more as well as those the Tang held. China, with such influence, was undoubtedly an imperial power by all metrics.

Note: While we in the west often enjoy ridiculing China for their relatively frequent dissolution as a centralized state, there is an often overlooked fact: what didn't happen in their dissolution. All of the dissolution occurred because the warring factions could not agree who should be emperor of ALL of China. No decentralization ever occurred because states wanted to break away from the union; no wars were fought between the dissolved states because they wanted to destroy the others, but rather, they were fought because they wanted to unify the others under their ideal emperor. In Europe, wars were fought between monarchies and nations that hated each other because they had disputes with one another- but no monarch or ruler would ever think about unifying Europe- and of those that did, none wanted to unify Europe under one single shared common identity- because there is none. China may have broken apart more times than one has hairs on their head, but they always wanted to unify the nation under a single shared common identity.

NOTE: Furthermore, because this presentation was created with western sources, information is often incredibly sparse if not non-existent. of China's golden age as the ruler of the world. All accounts, however distorted or biased on both sides, still tell the main message: China was the imperial ruler of the world at some point in history.

Tributary System

The image above shows ambassadors from all over the world; for example, the third from the left is a Persian.

Setting The Stage

1453 AD- The Ottoman empire was established when they conquered Constantinople; defeating the Byzantines. They had control over all the major trade routes between China and Europe; capturing a monopoly and growing rich off of the demand for China's goods. Such would be the beginning of the end to China's reign.

1492 AD- The Spanish, suffering from heavy economic losses due to their recent inquisition where they banished the smartest people for being Islamic and Jewish, needed a breakthrough. Columbus sailed westward to find a new trade route with the East, but ended up "discovering" a "new" continent instead. Later on, they would be motivated to spread their religion and find gold in the New world. Meanwhile, China did nothing and did not care.

1511 AD- The Portuguese, wanting to trade with China without the Ottoman tariffs, sailed around Africa to conquer Malacca. Through Malacca- a former Chinese tributary, they traded with China and began to regulate relations with Siam (Thailand- a Chinese tributary). Moreover, they set up a port in India, now known as modern day Chittagong. In the Euro-centrism, they decided to carry out some atrocities against the Chinese, such as piracy and selling young Chinese boys and girls to be molested. The Chinese had none of it and massacred the Portuguese. Nevertheless, they were able to continuing trading. The Portuguese, wanting to be the most powerful European country, tried to keep their trade with China for themselves, but failed.

Setting the Stage

Imperialism by Portugal and Spain

1517 AD- Portugal colonized Ceylon- a former Chinese tributary. They created the port of Colombo, now modern day Colombo. The Portuguese wanted to do what the Ottoman did, monopolize trade routes to China.

1521 AD- Spain colonized the Philippines- a former Chinese tributary. It fought for control over Malacca- a former Chinese tributary- with Portugal. Eventually, they came to an agreement that they both keep what they conquered.

1521 AD- Spain conquered the Aztec empire, proving themselves to be the dominant force in the Americas. New Spain was officially born. The Spanish dominance in the Americas along with the riches they acquired from a seemingly endless flow of silver quickly got other European powers interested in the region. All the while, China did nothing, which is not a good thing to do when others are setting up empires.

1550s-ish AD- After accidentally getting shipwrecked on it, Portugal set up colonies in Japan- a former Chinese tributary- wherever they could convince the people of their religion. They brought the musket to Japan, a powerful weapon the Chinese had no interest for. Portugal was later back-stabbed by Japan.

1577 AD- The Portuguese bought a port from China, now known as Macao. The port would be used for trade between China and the Portuguese. Moreover, Portugal also began to regulate trade with Brunei- a Chinese tributary.

Imperialism by Portugal and Spain (and England)

Imperialism by the Netherlands and France

1602 AD- The Dutch East India company was created by the Dutch who immediately began attacking Portuguese settlements in and around modern day Malaysia, because European countries have an endless rivalry. Malacca, Colombo, Ceylon, and several other Portuguese ports eventually fell to the Dutch.

1605 AD- The French established New France in the Americas. It didn't take especially long for the other European powers to grow green with envy of Spain's monopoly in the Americas. France found itself in a rather difficult position because, unlike the civilizations the Spanish conquered, there was no ruler they could depose and no land claims they could steal. Thus, the best the French could do was opt for trade to control the local civilizations- more or less. Just as before, China simply did nothing being completely oblivious that world dominance was slipping right out of their hands.

1642, 1646 AD- The Dutch attacked Portugal's establishment in Formosa (Taiwan) and Spain's establishment in the Philippines. They emerged victorious only over the Portuguese. The Dutch wanted to control the trade route to China for the purpose of riches too.

1664 AD- The French set up the French East India company to rival the English and Dutch ones. France too, wanted a slice of the pie that was the trade route with China. They were never especially successful.

Imperialism by the Netherlands and France (and England)

The image depicts China as another colony of the Dutch East India company, which is what they were increasingly becoming.

Imperialism by China and Russia

1644- The Ming dynasty was overthrown by the Qing dynasty. Interestingly, the Qing dynasty's rulers were not Han Chinese, but rather, were Manchu. They spent a large majority of their early (and good) years conquering the territories previously owned by the Ming and solidified control over territories the Ming didn't entirely, such as Tibet and Xinjiang. Estimates put the death count at about 25 million, which is not a good thing with ever-increasingly powerful European colonies down south.

1683- The Qing, in their final stretch to crush every last Ming resistance, launched a massive attack against Taiwan which held the last Ming resistance. Thus, they legitimized their rule by completely defeating their enemy and ruling everything they formerly did and more.

1689- The Qing defeated Russia in the border conflicts they had, resulting in the Treaty of Nerchinsk where the Russians had to give up the land of Manchuria. The Chinese still thought of anyone who tried to edge in on the mainland as weak and unforgivable; that they were still the center of the world. Such a mindset was only further solidified with the Qing conquering the Ming and parts of imperial Russia, and such a mindset was dangerous when encountering other increasingly powerful European powers.

Debrief- Seemingly miscellaneous events of colonization are all connected, from the colonization of Malaysia and the Philippines to European trade with Japan, Brunei and Thailand (which would reduce the dependency on China). What all these territories had in common is that they were part of the Chinese tributary system, which meant that Europe was slowing eroding at them when they initially began trying to trade with them without tariffs.

England didn't fit any particular time frame very well, which is why they are incorporated on the sides.

In our western curriculum, our curriculum that intends to be unbiased talks about European imperialism then smack-talks them for how terrible they were. Simply shaming an action does not mean the story is not told from the actors perspective. As the saying goes, "Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes."

Imperialism by China and Russia (and England)

The flag of the Qing dynasty.

The British Empire

The British would play an incredibly important role in the hundred years of national shame and imperialism in general. This subsection addresses their rise, their dominance, and the next is about how they would be the imperial power that would input the final nail into the coffin for the hundred years of national shame to break loose in its full fury.

Britain

Opium Wars

A deadly conflict between China and the west was inevitable. And at long last, it is here. To the west, this was just another war in Britain's imperialism. To China, it was a wake-up call that they were no longer what they used to be; too little too late.

After all, nothing raises demand like addiction.

Opium Wars

The image is a political cartoon of a British individual feeding opium to a stereotypical Manchus Chinese individual (not Han Chinese).

Further European Imperialism

1856 - 1860- The second opium war was fought again, over opium. This time, the French fought with the British. The Chinese unsurprisingly lost with the French and British penetrating all the way into Beijing. The Treaty of Peking was signed to the British to expand their territory in Hongkong as well as other regions. The Treaty of Whampoa was signed to the French, which was their version of the Treaty of Nanking. China's economy was now fully open to the west, and its local goods were hopelessly out-competed by the industrialized western cheap goods; crashing China's economy. Their economic collapse would severely weaken them for what was to come.

1858- The Treaty of Aigun was signed to Alexander II of Russia. The loss of the war shouted it loud and clear to China that they messed up big time, for it was the very battle ground that was China's last victory against the west. China gave up Manchuria to Russia; a full on annexation of the mainland and the homeland of the emperor at the time. It was complete and utter humiliation of China.

1884 - 1885- The Sino-French war arose between China and France. France was invading China's long standing friend (tributary), Vietnam. China lost the war and Vietnam to the French; as well as much of the Indonesian peninsula.

1893- China got caught up in the "Great Game" between Britain and Russia. It suffered from having western China, Tibet, and Mongolia at constant risk of annexation. Britain eventually took Tibet.

1898- The now unified Germany had imperial ambitions to fulfill. Now, to be an imperial power meant to invade and exploit China, as well as Africa. Germany colonized both Kiautschou and Tientsin from China.

Further European Imperialism

Imperialism by the Japanese & Civil War

China had just been battered hard, but it was about to be battered even harder. Not by a European nation, but by a former tributary and itself. For the climax of the hundred years of national shame, China would completely cave in on itself and be conquered by its former tributary, now an imperial power. The significance in this is that the shambles of the tributary system was China's last claim as a respectable world power. By having a former tributary actively rebel against it, China had nothing but shame.

This section explores how Japan rose to power during China's oblivious arrogance and how China destroys itself from the inside with civil war.

Japan and Civil War

Corée is French for Korea.

Japan and Civil War (II)

The Sino-Japanese war, Boxer rebellion, 1911 revolution, and civil war had taken a serious toll on China. However, civil war China had repeated all the mistakes of China before; they were too caught up in their own affairs and didn't focus on what was going on outside. Japan had been converting to fascism, and now was determined to hammer into China once more. This time, China was more unprepared than ever (which is saying something).

Japan and Civil War (II)

America

1945 - 1973 - China's geographic rival, the United States of America, was undergoing the golden age of capitalism. It had previously spent the last two centuries industrializing and expanding west, avoiding both world wars but striking the last blows in both. Through the two wars, America's industrial capacity allowed it to grow rich through supplying Europe with weapons and money. America was especially fortunate when Europe flared itself up in the balance of power extremely that it blew itself apart, and it became the dominant world power by default.

The USA went with a capitalist and democratic approach to rebuilding Europe and keeping the western bloc in order through economic aid. The Soviets went with an authoritarian and communist approach to rebuilding Europe and keeping the eastern bloc in order through force.

During the golden age of capitalism, the USA had unprecedented economic growth and massive influence on the world stage, all the while Japan, Italy, West Germany, Austria, South Korea, Belgium, France, and Greece joined in on the fun. Productivity in the post-war world grew to new heights. America was living the American dream.

Yet still, it seems as though China had not learned any lessons from the hundred years of national shame. Despite all this, China still did what it did in act I that got itself destroyed in act III. All this Chinese inaction was thanks to one person.

America

The image is depicting the American dream.

Former Tributaries

1965- Malaysia, a former Chinese tributary, removed Singapore from their country because it had an ethnic Chinese majority. The remaining Chinese had to have their children go through an education system where they would be forced to learn a Malaysian curriculum; moreover, the education program was part of a development plan to improve the Malay's strength and to weaken its ethnic Chinese. Chinese-owned businesses in Malaysia were required to have a Malaysian management.

1965 - 1966- Indonesia, a former Chinese tributary, began a genocide due to an attempted communist coup. Several groups were targeted, especially leftists and the PKI (Communist Party of Indonesia). However, they also targeted ethnic Chinese in the genocide.

1979- Vietnam, a former Chinese tributary and a fellow communist, also persecuted its ethnic Chinese. After the Vietnam war, borders with China, especially in the south China sea, were heavily disputed. Vietnam persecuted the Hoa community, a community in Vietnam with Han Chinese ancestry.

Minor Debrief- The events listed above are meant to display how China's former tributaries had lost all respect for China. Vietnam was communist and Indonesia was anti-communist, yet they both persecuted their ethnic Chinese people. There was a hatred of the former tributaries against the Chinese for remaining under Chinese rule for millennium.

Had such an event occurred during the Tang or Ming dynasty, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam would not exist. China had been weakened and beaten by the hundred years of humiliation, and it could do nothing regarding their people being persecuted in its own former tributaries. The world had lost all respect of China.

Former Tributaries

Mao Zedong

1959 - 1961- Mao Zedong introduced the "Great Leap Forward" intended to industrialize the nation and tried to achieve communism through a famine. False agricultural reports, poor agricultural techniques, inefficient distribution of food, and disruption of the ecosystems from ill-informed pest control fueled the "Great Chinese Famine." An estimated 55 million died.

Moreover, Mao attempted industrialization through forcing farmers to move to steel and iron industry, which simply resulted in people needing to scrape together scraps of metal and their frying pans & bicycles (and other items with iron or steel) to throw into backyard furnaces; unprofessionally done so much so that all the iron and steel produced was unusable.

1966 - 1976- Mao Zedong introduced the "Cultural Revolution" where a cult was created around him. Intense propaganda took place and all those who had any resemblance of the past, such as tradition, had those stripped of them for the purpose of worshiping Mao Zedong. All were to consistently memorize the great texts of supreme leader at every moment. There is an estimated death toll at about 20 million due to all the chaos that ensued and "traitors" that existed. Such continued until the death of Mao in 1976.

Minor Debrief- All the while, the golden age of capitalism was booming in America. China knew, from watching the Soviet Union and itself, that continuing down this extremist, ignorant, and arrogant path was not going to work. The death of Mao brought in a new era, an era where China would being rebuilding " ."

Mao Zedong

中国

Taiwan

1970s- Taiwan, under the de facto control of the ROC, began reforming into a democracy; thus, making them drastically different from the PROC and the contrast between the two making it clear they were not under the same dominion, as well as the people of Taiwan identifying less and less with the PROC.

In the past, a ruler over China could and would be overthrown. Doing so meant the need to accomplish two things: one, completely exterminate any forces against the revolutionaries; and two, own all of the land controlled by the former ruler and more. Such was seen with the Yuan bitterly hunting down the Song, the Qing ruthlessly assaulting the Ming, and China's expansionism.

The KMT was the successor of the Qing dynasty and the CCP views themselves as the successor of the KMT; thus, the successor of the Qing. The Qing had dominion over Taiwan; moreover, it was where the last Ming resistance was crushed.

The KMT was the previous ruler that fled and lived in Taiwan. The PROC failed to take all the land formerly controlled by the previous ruler(s) and failed to annihilate every retaliation. By traditional definition, they did not have legitimate rule over China and Taiwan becoming increasingly alien to China humiliated them all the more. Even today, Taiwan remains a thorn in China's side that makes the PROC's rule seem illegitimate.

And if China can not reunify itself under who should be "emperor," they will not ever be re-solidified- even in their own eyes- as the rulers of the world once more. If China wants to return to its former glory, it must reunify itself. That is why, even today, China expresses an immense interest inside Taiwan.

The KMT still, on the island of Taiwan, claim all the land which the Qing dynasty had ruled. Reason being, the PROC deems themselves to be the successors of the KMT; therefore, the land which the KMT claims is theirs. If they were to ever embrace independence and no longer claim that territory, it would be sending a message to the PROC that the PROC owns only the island of Taiwan.

And because the PROC and KMT both stake the land that the Qing Dynasty formerly owned, only one can exist in the eyes of an international audience- to this day. However, to deny them that claim is to endorse European imperialism and Japanese fascism- for that was what undermined their rule in the first place.

Taiwan

Industrialization and Authoritarianism

China was humiliated by the British due to their industrial revolution and their global dominance in trade. Around the 1850s, China's economy was overrun when it opened up trades to end the opium wars, which gave way for the cheap western goods to out-compete all Chinese production.

China is going to take a similar path to rebuild itself at the center of the world. China would take full advantage of industrialization and trade to grow its economy and influence to ultimately achieve the end goal of rebuilding the world it once had. China had suffered the hundred years of national shame from the industrialization of western powers who had military superiority over China. Seeking to destroy the vast American empire the way the Chinese empire had been destroyed, China's first step was to industrialize.

Under a new dictator that did not starve the people for the purpose of communism, China was able to build itself from the ashes relatively quickly.

Industrialization

System of Government

History thought experiment: The Soviet union went from revolution to superpower in 24 years despite bearing the largest load in a world war and going through a bloody civil war, largely because its authoritarian power had potential. America took 169 years to go from revolution to superpower, despite bearing relatively minimal loads in both world wars and a relatively minor civil war by comparison. (Judging by the metric that they both officially became superpowers in 1946, after world war two.)

China, even under Deng, was still fundamentally authoritarian as it had always been. While authoritarianism may not be pleasant, it is superior to democracy at getting things done; both good and bad. A free market does not mean freedom. China is forced to make a compromise. This section explores such.

Governance

China's Mercantilism

2009 - 2021- China became the African Union's largest partner in 2009 and continues to dominate the continent, for China had peaked its industrialization and now invests in Africa as it begins to industrialize. China sells consumer products in Africa, gives them financial aid to industrialize and undergo massive infrastructure products, and throws all overproduced goods at Africa who is happy to buy. African countries now have their economies inseparable from China because their local businesses are overrun by cheap Chinese goods, just like what the British and French did to China in the 1850s; however, Africa's economy grows in this case.

Africa's main exports are raw materials and oil, which China uses to manufacture products which it sends back to Africa. China does not take any manufactured goods from Africa; thus, this is mercantilism. In 2011, the trade totaled to a large $166 billion, which it accomplished just half of in five months in 2012. Trade only continues to grow, and Chinese workers are steadily moving to Africa. As Africa industrializes, China will gain major slices of their pie with the debt that the African union member countries have accumulated; or China will simply take their land. Africa now is strangled to work hard to buy Chinese goods, just as the world did when China was the center of the world.

2013 - 2021- China began the belt and road initiative, desiring to forge a "second silk road," if you will. Just like the first silk road, it is intended at centering China on the world stage. It is set to finish in the PROC's hundred year anniversary. It is focused primarily on development, trade, & education on the Afro-Eurasian continent, intended to isolate the Americas from the world order.

Mercantilism

Chinese East India Company

The Chinese East India Company does not exist. However, the actions of the Dutch East India Company are mirrored by China's actions. The Dutch increased their dominion over the world and controlled trade to China through a series of advanced and elaborate ports, eventually to inspire other Europeans to colonize and inflict the hundred years of national shame. China, learning from history, does so as well. And just like the English East India Company, it is designed to undermines its rivals. This section explores such.

Governance side note- Authoritarianism means that supporting a country with a corrupt dictator will not result in an angry population drawing political cartoons of their leader making friends with nefarious dictators; thus, giving China more options to work with. China does not engage in foreign entanglement to support freedom, but to increase their dominion.

Chinese East India Company

The leader of China with the leader of Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka is a strategically important area.

Imperialism in Australia

1993- Australia's airport in Merridin was leased to China for a surplus of one single australian dollar. Australian pilots must now be granted access from China to access their own country's airport. China uses it to train their pilots, and it will until 2093.

2015- Australia's port, named port Darwin, was leased to China for ninety-nine years. Port Darwin is in northwest Australia, which allows for China to easily access it and perhaps utilize it should NATO want to step in.

Moreover, ChAFTA was signed between China and Australia for free trade. China quickly utilized the agreement and is now Australia's largest trading partner. For Australia, to cut off ties with China more or less means isolationism. Meanwhile, the USA was ranting about how Iran should not have nuclear bombs while it holds the largest arsenal in the world.

2017 - 2021- Chinese companies bought up Australian land. China now owns nearly 9.1 million hectares of Australian land. Chinese companies bought Australian companies, most notably, a coal company. Australia is now completely immersed in China and will not be able to pull away from it without inducing serious self-harm.

Minor Debrief- Australia was a perfect test run. It was relatively large, geographically separated from other western-style democracies, a NATO member country, and the foothold the British used to deliver their blows to China in the hundred years of national shame.

Australia

Europe

2012 - 2021- The economically struggling former eastern bloc, in the eyes of China, was opportunity. China formed an economic alliance named "Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries" including Albania, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Montenegro, Estonia, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, North Macedonia, and Slovenia. It was added to the belt and road initiative, setting up infrastructure for trade and investment for China.

2013 - 2021- The belt and road initiative saw China obtain control over several ports all over Europe. In northwestern Europe, there is Zeebrugge, Belgium in the hands of China, as well as Antwerpen- also Belgian. In Southern Europe, Italy's port in Gioia Tauro is controlled by China. In western Europe, both Valencia and Algeciras' ports belong to China. In France, Le Havre; in the UK, Felixstowe; in Germany, Bremerhaven and Hamburg; in the Netherlands, Rotterdam. In eastern Europe, Piraeus of Greece belongs to China.

2017 - 2021- China promised to make the port of Piraeus in Greece the "second Suez canal,"(gateway between Europe and Asia) if you will. To return the favor, Greece vetoed the European Union's annual human rights report on China and denied all Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. China is actively undermining the core values of democracy with money, trade, and geopolitics.

2020 - 2021- The United Kingdom, China's former colonizer, is now deeply intertwined and reliant on China. China plays a big role in the UK's nuclear energy, something it is increasingly needing after withdrawing from the European Union's energy flow and with the energy crises. China has much control over the UK's steel industry. All this shows that Brexit- and in turn, the EU- is ultimately irrelevant for China's control over Europe. China is rebuilding itself at the center of the world, and very little is being done by America to stop them.

Europe

America

China in encroaching upon their greatest enemy, America, and is currently winning. They have the leverage, the power, the prospect, the pressure, the reason, and the incompetent orange leader of America who helped weaken America's power on the world stage significantly. This section explores such.

America is unprepared, as China has studied extensive history in their strategy. This will be nothing like the cold war, where only a few dozen nations were blocked off from trading and trust was little between nuclear powers. This time, both sides embrace capitalist free trade- however, it is for geopolitical influence; something that did not matter last time. The last cold war was fought with threats of hard power- this one is fought with pure deadly soft power. America became a power out of the race to hard power, and they are not prepared the play the game of soft power.

America