How do we know what the "right" amounts are here? I mean, who comes up with the numbers? Just curious... they always seem so arbitrary
They are pretty arbitrary, but it's not really in dispute here that China didn't really do too much to help its regional rival. When you want to play superpower - this kind of thing goes with the territory, which is why the US jumped at the opportunity to help out and outfox China in its backyard. Lesson learned, China?
Probably not, given that debt consitutes a small fraction of annual outlays, and that of this fraction, China holds about 8%. So basically there's about 99% chance that you are wrong. Which may be an improvement, in your case. Congrats, hermanita.
Who wants to play superpower? I've been to China and they're not at all interested in being a 'superpower' they aren't that egotistic.
They don't want 'power' that is a part of your own ego that you are projecting onto them. Their increase in wealth and economic activity and therefore influence stems from a desire for an improved life.
No, it's not my ego that increased their military spending dramatically. It's not my ego that's got them launching a mission to the moon. None of that is about an improved life for anyone. You seem to like to argue about obvious things.
Doesn't increased military spending provide more protection for your people? Especially when the country who owes you $1T has the world's largest military and has attacked more countries than any other?
No. Would doubling the US military budget make us safer? Of course not. The increased military spending does threaten your neighbors and creates intimidation, even a bit of an arms race in the region which is the behavior of someone trying to expand their scope of power and influence.
Actually the US has by far the world's largest military, it's budget is 6 times that of China. It spends more than the next 10 countries combined. A country spending that amount of money on military is trying to expand power. What China is doing is simply expanding its military to defend against that expansion of power. I.e – If I ever want to ask my armed-to-the-teeth, ultra-violent neighbour for some of my money back, I'd want to at least be prepared to defend myself.
Eh? The US is just six times safer than China by your logic. You can't really expand power that already spans the world. If China were really interested in defending against an expansion of American power they're about 50 years too late much like they're about 50 years behind in getting to the moon. If you were that scared of your armed to the teeth violent neighbor you wouldn't loan him money to begin with and if he were that ultra violent he would have killed you for your money already. That was fun.
