WSJ: General Zhu Goes Ballistic - Threats of nuclear annihilation won't better U.S.-China relations

Wall Street Journal ^ | July 18, 2005 | DANNY GITTINGS

[OESY]

...The first ramifications of Gen. Zhu's comments are... being felt....

A self-professed "warmonger," the general has often previously warned of a nuclear war over Taiwan....

That doesn't mean his comments reflect Chinese military strategy. Beijing doesn't have enough nuclear warheads to target hundreds of American cities, and more senior figures in the PLA presumably realize that attacking even one would mean the end of Communist rule as well as most of China. Nor is Gen. Zhu an influential policy maker -- as dean of international fellows at China's National Defense University his main job is running exchange programs for visiting senior foreign military officers....

The likely goal of these repeated threats is to sow the idea in Washington that China might actually be crazy enough to initiate a nuclear exchange, even though it would amount to political and military suicide. "It's a strategy of perception management," said Larry Wortzel, a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation who has known Gen. Zhu for more than a decade. "One objective is to put enough doubt in the minds of the American public that they will think it's not worth going to war over Taiwan."

As demonstrated by the backlash following Gen. Zhu's remarks, that is a counterproductive strategy which only makes the China threat look even more alarming. Some in Beijing evidently realize that China has a PR problem -- otherwise we wouldn't have been invited on last week's trip. But they don't have the clout to take on the PLA -- indeed even President Hu Jintao has tread cautiously since taking up the chairmanship of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Military Commission last year. And, judging from my experience last week, the PLA seem to be the ones calling the shots over Taiwan -- whatever the cost to China's international image.

[OESY]

Mr. Gittings is The Asian Wall Street Journal's deputy editorial-page editor.

[uncbob]

Thank you Richard Nixon for dragging the CHICOMs into the 20th century

[uncbob]

Thank you Richard Nixon for dragging the CHICOMs into the 20th century

[Brilliant]

I thought it was interesting that the Chinese government immediately stated that the General was only speaking for himself.

Of course, they then utttered their own threat against Taiwan.

But when you actually read what the General said, you realize that what he actually said was not that remarkable. I would have assumed that if we attacked China, they'd use nukes. And if they attack us, we'll use nukes.

The problem with what the Gen. said is that he may have meant that they'd use nukes if we try to defend Taiwan after a Chinese attack.

[Eva]

The problem with what the Gen. said is that he may have meant that they'd use nukes if we try to defend Taiwan after a Chinese attack.

[Calpernia]

ping

[nikola]

Thanks Kissinger!

Keep on buying Chinese made goods at China-Mart... money they earn will be returned to you in the form of a mushroom cloud!

How can people be so stupid?!

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Not to worry corporate America.

Keep free tradin' that technology, wealth, and production to the Chi-coms.

What a wild and crazy bunch of guys, uh?

Zhu's a riot! "Zhu the warmonger" does stand up at Chinese Communist Party's Central Military Commission's comedy clubs.

But you know the rules if you want access to 1.3 billion middle class consumers (coming soon!). You have to keep your staff lobbying Washington and the American press for policies that benefit the peace-loving, democratic People's Republic of China -- soon to be the home of 1.4 billion people with money burning their pockets.

Just think, 1.5 billion spenders just waiting for you, Mr CEO! Who needs America, right?

[agere_contra]

Give Taiwan its own Nukes.

[JeeperFreeper]

Maybe some well publicized submarine "boomer" exercises with practice missile launches would be in order. Sort of a big hint to China, NK and Pak.

For you submariner FReepers out there: what would such tests entail and look like?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Totally agree. Nixon should have left China alone.

[tallhappy]

Taiwan has a anti-nuclear law

?????

Taiwan, like Japan, N. Korea and others could easily manufacture nuclear weapons.

None do at the request of the US.

[tallhappy]

Taiwan, like Japan, N. Korea and others could easily manufacture nuclear weapons.

That, obviously, should be S. Korea.

[Czar]

"Thank you Richard Nixon for dragging the CHICOMs into the 20th century"

And thank you Bill Clinton for making sure that the CHICOMs received U.S. warhead development technology, including our legacy codes, so they could save themselves about 10 or 15 years of development time and untold billions of $$. As a result, General Zhu's statements cannot be said to lack credibility.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Bump

[tallhappy]

But taiwan cannot by law produce it even if it's a threat

Please elaborate on this.

[You Dirty Rats]

This is clearly a bluff designed to frighten the American Public into allowing Red China to conquer Taiwan without interference from us. Even the ChiComs aren't so insane that they would fire nukes at American Cities.

Looks like the "Dear Leader" isn't so "ronery" after all.

One thing is for sure: If this General was speaking out of school, he wouldn't be a General for long. The ChiComs are trying to intimidate us and that's not going to fly.

[Schwaeky]

publiclly they don't, but how do we know for sure.. Given China's bellicose behavior, they'd be insane not to, and Bush knows it..... I'm sure Taipei, Seoul, and Tokyo all have nuclear capabilities, or are near having so..