>

China's mighty Navy that can't even go into deep water. I'm sure the Americans are shivering.
This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 84%. (I'm a bot)


China has sailed one of its three aircraft carriers near the U.S. territory of Guam, Japanese officials confirmed, ending an already combative year with a rare move that Beijing signaled as a clear warning to the Biden administration over Taiwan.
Beijing expressed outrage at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan in August - a move the California Democrat had previously rescheduled, reportedly over concerns about blowback from China.
"China will never attack US military bases in Guam as long as the US military does not attack China or interfere in the Taiwan question," it wrote, citing Chinese analysts, "But having such capabilities is a deterrent against potential US provocations."


Extended Summary | FAQ | Feedback | Top keywords: China^#1 US^#2 military^#3 Chinese^#4 Taiwan^#5 >

Remind me? Isn’t 11 > 3? >

By American definitions it's actually 0-11.  Or 1-11, depending on what their new one does, but it's not finished being built yet.
If you use the definition that everyone else does, the US has 21 carriers instead of 11.  There are only 47 active aircraft carriers in the world, and the USN's total carrier deck space is more than double the rest of the world combined. >

And that's why the US Navy is the second largest air force in the world, second only to the US air force. >

Unpopular opinion (at least for Reddit) - this is actually a good thing. Overwhelming force means that the incentive to even start a conventional war is gone because it’s a guaranteed loss.
If we still had several competing peer states where the military outcome was a toss-up, you’d inevitably have somebody fuck around and find out. Look at Russia and Ukraine - clearly not everybody has evolved beyond territorial ambitions.
Having one major superpower sucks if you aren’t aligned with that superpower’s interests, but otherwise it provides a ton of stability because that superpower has a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. >

I think one reason it’s unpopular is the cost. I also like having the largest/best military in the world. However when you look at amount spent on that military, and think about the other possible uses for it like education and health care, people get upset about our priorities. >

Okay, we will shadow or warn you but we want to maintain the rules based order. China is allowed to stay 12 miles off shore in international waters. Russia routinely plays this game on the US and Canadian pacific coast. That’s the same that is expected of you China! 
Thanks for visiting Guam! We hope you enjoyed your stay. >

In other news: China is now sailing near Russia! Must be an act of war! China is gana war against Russia! >

Okay side bar though: Russia would lose boots on the ground or even a nuke china fight.
Russia would get steamrolled by China hands down >

Russia can't handle Ukraine, because Ukraine has American (or at least, Western) materiel, intelligence and tactics at their disposal.
Pound-for-pound, though, Russian materiel is better than Chinese materiel. Both countries have the same problem, but the problem manifests differently in each country: Russia has "ghost inventory," where they simply don't have as much as they thought they had for weapons, munitions, etc. China, by contrast, has things -- but they're of such incredibly poor quality that they're only marginally effective. China's army is has about 2.5 million people in it -- twice as many as the US. But, unlike the US, China doesn't have the financial or manufacturing capability to adequitely equip, arm, train and field all of their personnel.
Things are expensive, and having to supply multiple millions of copies of even very cheap things gets real expensive, real fast. So... they do what they  can with what they have, but that's  still not much. This gets compounded by the fact that a lot of the state-owned manufacturers over there will specifically cut corners wherever possible to enrichen themselves -- using PETG instead ABS or GF for military plastics, using pot/monkey metal instead of steel for certain components, or using light/undergauged wire for electronics, etc. As long as something is "good enough to sit in an armory warehouse," then often nobody is the wiser.
In terms of nuclear capability... a nuke is a nuke. Even poorly made nuclear weapons are unfathomably dangerous. If they got into a nuke-fight, then everybody loses just the same. >

Solves global warming the day after tomorrow…. >

Patrolling the Gobi almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter... >

Why the Gobi desert is ridiculously cold. >

It was a Fallout: New Vegas reference, I do believe. Replace "Gobi" with "Mojave" and NPC soldiers bark that line all the time. It's a doubly clever reference since the backstory to the series involves a war and eventual nuclear exchange between the US and China. >

Sometimes it would just be nice if world leaders weren't 10-year olds. >

I would say shitty 8th graders, they’re the worst >

I’m sure this getting big play on Chinese state news and yet is barely noticed here in the US. Seems like empty bluster >

It absolutely is empty bluster. China is free to navigate international waters just like the US or any other country. Sailing one of three carriers near Guam (read: andersen air force base and naval base guam) is a big joke. The message here, as usual, is meant for domestic consumption rather than for anyone else. The idea is to make people in China believe this is a serious threat and the US is scared of big strong China brandishing one of three carriers (33% of chinese naval air capacity) in front of one of the most heavily armed and defended US Defense installations west of Hawaii, and what would probably be the main base of operations for anything regarding Taiwan. >

It makes me wonder if the average Chinese, who must be so proud of their three Aircraft Carriers, know how many the US has. >

It’s not just the numbers. It’s the countless years of real world operational experience. It’s the lessons learned in blood over the decades that the Chinese don’t have. >

I mean, yeah, but that isn't as easy to communicate as the difference between 11 and 3. >

Technically 19 and 3 lol >

Eh, I was being nice. >

Lol. Also if you include our allies’ carriers it is even more. >

Also true=) of course, I am not sure if the average person living in China knows what having allies means... >

The U.S. is probably gonna be like "Cool story bro, we'll just send another CSG* into the Taiwan Strait."
Edit: meant CSG not CSN >

Carrier Strike Group. For those wondering… >

I like Critical Strike Nancy better >

Not to be outshone by the Navy’s strongest weapon, Critical Strike Karen >

The only thing banned by both the Geneva Convention and the local Starbucks >

Idk I suspect my local starbucks might not be so cool with mustard gas. >

Is this just a regular thing that happens like every week now? >

You would be surprised how often Russia and chine send ships in the pacific near Guam and Hawaii. It's not uncommon and not that alarming. >

If i had to guess, US navy was probably salivating over the possibility of sinking some Chinese warships >

6 or 7 subs following them under water lol >

Let’s not even get started with our Jewish space lasers that could turn those Chinese craft into calamari at the push of a button. >

I think the only people the PLA Navy are scaring with this maneuver are the poor crewmen aboard these ships. >

Hopefully they know that there is definitely at least one nuclear submarine shadowing them the entire way >

You know damn well every sub in the area is using this as invaluable real world training. And Guam is a major submarine base. >

I once spoke to a guy who sailed on a submarine. He said China was so far behind, they were right under them watching them do anti sub exercises. The PLA had no idea they were there. >

Using what little information I do know about how subs hide to extrapolate and imagine what techniques are top secret leads me to believe that is not an exaggeration. >

It's not. I think** the Swedes have done that to the US so many times we basically rented part of their military so we could try and find them in drills... And we never did. Sub tech is wild. >

You’d think it wouldn’t be hard to find a giant nuclear powered tin can in the ocean, but it is almost impossible >

Thing is, we don't give a fuck.  China is fucked, 2023 is going to be a rough year for them. >

China has the problem of a very large population of angry working-age men who are still expected to take care of their parents even though they have no way of getting married or becoming fathers of their own (decades of one-child created a horrible gender imbalance). >

Russia has an opposite problem now. Panda is going to fuck brown bear >

Well my Mexican ass would love a Russian woman. So panda going to have to step aside because this
Mexican jumping bean is jumping to the front of the line >

Russian wives are like Jeep Wranglers - incredibly seductive but totally impractical, and very high maintenance. 
The seductive appeal fades in a few years. The impracticality and high maintenance remain. Forever. >

Lol, this guy got Russian mail bride >

Dodged the bullet twice my guy. Two long term Russian girlfriends. We are done with the Eastern block.
We only date west of Austria now... >

Most Polish women are fine from my experience
But yeah, you’re right lol >

While China and Russia join forces that’s like 1/10 of our navy
Laughs in US nuclear submarines..
-sub vet >

All of a sudden I'm for military spending... >

It really still surprises me how liberal Reddit all turned into warhawks this year, but I’d much rather the US have the budget we have and own the sky than literally anyone else.
Also military spending is really a glorified jobs program. That money is all spent on American workers and American companies. >

A lot of people understand why American defense spending is so high, they just don't like their tax dollars being used to kill civilians in order to personally enrich right-wing politicians and lobbyists.
Stopping an authoritarian regime that's currently using concentration camps to eradicate ethnic minorities? That's fair game. >

Well…… damn that’s a well reasoned point I don’t have a witty rebuttal towards. Touché. >

Bro, if those Chinese sailors tried some Chamorro BBQ, I doubt they’d ever go back to China. 
The food is the thing I miss the most about Guam. Take me back to Terry’s Comfort Food. >

Unfortunately terrys closed during covid! >

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo >

Oh no! anyways…💤 
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 >

Surprised the carrier even made it to guam >

I'm over these "shows of force" from authoritarian regimes. If they want to threaten US interests, we should start imposing some sanctions on them. 
We've spent the last 40 years entangling our economy with China's and what has it gotten us?  Record corporate profits while middle America has been turned into ghost towns as manufacturing jobs got sent over seas. A strengthened and emboldened adversary in the Asia/Pacific region that has shown over and over again that it has no respect for international norms or National boundaries. It will take time and be painful in many respects, but it's time that Western nations start to cut out China from their economies. >

I bet the Chinese never noticed the attack subs shadowing them. >

The whole world knows that USA subs are patrolling that area. It's already expected so not a surprise for the Chinese defence forces. >

It's not something the Chinese talking heads are going to mention. The real power is beneath the surface. >

Gotta do some saber rattling to distract from the shitty home front >

Warn the US about what? That they are interested in losing their military equipment? >

They're warning the US that they'll steal more US technology if Taiwan isn't handed out to them deliberately >

When I was getting orders to Guam in 2018 North Korea was threatening to wipe guam off the map, and now China is threatening. Guam is a beautiful place but used like a chess piece. Such a beautiful place though with awesome food and an awesome culture. If China even makes one stupid move there’s probably countless subs with enough fire power to sink there whole fleet lurking deep below. China is so dumb. >

There is a giant can of whoop-ass in Guam. Best not to open it. >

Lol…the fearsome Chinese navy. >

China is decades away from truly being able to project power out to Guam, but they are free to take sailing trips out there periodically. >

Good job China, you have successfully exercised your right to the ✨freedom of navigation✨! 🥳
Now, extend the same freedom afforded to you by the US to other countries when they transit international waters near you! 😊 >

I really don't think they know how badly they'd get their asses whipped if they want a full on naval war >

This.
The US is far superior in naval equipment. And Guam? Guam has a naval base, air force base, army post, and soon to be marine base.
Bring it,  China >

Uh huh, you try and do something over there by Guam and see how soon your ship becomes an artificial reef. >

Watch out! China might try to convert that artifical reef into a real island and claim it! >

I walked into that one >

We must protect the G-Spot at all costs! >


China has sailed one of its three aircraft carriers near the U.S. territory of Guam, Japanese officials confirmed, ending an already combative year with a rare move that Beijing signaled as a clear warning to the Biden administration over Taiwan.
The Chinese fleet, led by the aircraft carrier Liaoning, had already spurred several clashes with U.S. allies in the region with its tour of the western Pacific, most recently by conducting roughly 260 takeoff and landing drills near the Japanese island of Okinawa, home to a major U.S. military presence. The operations prompted the Japanese air force to scramble fighter jets and helicopters, as well as a destroyer and other elements of its self-defense forces.
But Japanese officials also confirmed Thursday that the Chinese vessels had transited to the south, near the western edge of territory the U.S. claims as part of the remote island of Guam – a critical element of America’s ability to project military might in the region as both a stopping point and a base for strategic Air Force bombers and Navy submarines.
Chinese state news framed the deployment as an overt provocation to the U.S. and a warning against continuing behavior this year that has outraged Beijing.

Aww ... poor "outraged" Beijing. Is this the same Beijing that has illegally  occupied reefs in the South China and claimed the entire territory of it for itself? Is this the same Beijing that seized Tibet? Is this the same Beijing that has thrown millions of Uyghurs into its concentration camps?
Poor, outraged Beijing.
Aww ... poor babies >

Xi and Putin must have coordinated their tactics of crying over how unfair it is that they can't invade and annex other countries... >

Maybe they need to play more RTS videogames and stop trying to subject the average joe to the whims of dictators who are overly sentimental about geography >

Good for you China, you really showed those Americans by sailing your ships in International Waters… >

For china's Navy, just getting to Guam and back is a big mission. Someone should congratulate them on being that far from home. >

Maybe some years ago. That is unfortunately changing rather fast though. China’s navy is in an utterly massive build up, including with its logistics >

Their navy will falter at the first sign of combat. They are untested, unreliable, and inexperienced. You think the US is worried about anti-ship capabilities of adversaries? PLAN has no plan. 
Three carriers? That's three ASM's from a single cruiser or sub. Their Carrier-strike-group? A destroyer wouldn't even have to fire its full salvo.
One of our CSG's could take on the majority of PLAN's bluewater-capable vessels. >

The US navy is absolutely worried about the anti-ship capabilities of its adversaries. If they aren’t I as a American think they should be fired and replaced by someone with a brain. I don’t think that’s an issue though they all say our near peer’s are a grave threat. 
It’s not the old WWII days either. Restocking a AGIES cruiser takes a port and time. Our Allie’s in Japan, Australia, and South Korea absolutely have to pull their weight. >

Reminds me of the Rick and Morty joke where Jerry claims he's leaving the daycare:
China: "I'm gonna sail near your territory, see how you like it!"
U.S.: "Okay then, that was always allowed!" >

China flexing on Guam is like the US flexing on the Madagascar penguins >

it’s not a flex…they know what they’re doing…they just want to see what they can get away with…they are studying every move that is happening from every side in this russia ukraine situation >

The answer is a lot... far more than most people can imagine even. Then one day the previous gains embolden them to go even further and then they can't get away with almost anything and all the previous gains are nothing compared to the massive losses. 
This is pretty clear from studying the situation in Ukraine.
And lets not forget that this sort of situations also have a small but very real chance of complete and utter extermination of all human life on earth... >

Everyone is very impressed and scared by the Chinese boats /s >

Yeah, sure china. >

Beautiful freedom of navigation. Works for everyone without complaints. >

Starting to feel like North Korea again. After all the attention Russia’s getting, they want attention back on them by pulling stunts that ultimately don’t impact us at all. >

There are subs and plenty of other assets in and out of Guam all of the time. This was a great chance to get some acoustic signatures. >

US: Ok, then. That was always allowed. >

China is Jerry >

Is China still using that awesome sonar that found Malaysia Air 370?
Worried; NOT Worried. >

China seems to have the "technology" which allows it to replicate western tech. How effective , is up to debate. >

Like any other nation China is entitled to sail international waters.  Freedom of Navigation is not a provocation. >

“Looking Good, Billy Ray! Feeling Good, Louis!” >

More final warnings from China? >

Wake me up when the sail close to Cuba >

This is the equivalent of an angry Ned Flanders staring into the Simpsons window >

Do they really think this intimidates the massive military power of the US lol smh >

Made in China. >

Vietham 2.0 baby! >

Their ships aren’t intimidating anyone. 
Keep it pushin’ China Club. >

How about we just agree to only sail with sticks not real weapons like they do on the China-India border? >

Because I should totally believe China would invade Guam?
Seems hollow. >

TDL that China's navy can get to Guam. >

China should really be focused on home, considering they are in the process of restarting the pandemic full tilt like 2020. >

Military bluster is precisely to draw public attention off the domestic failures >

Nobody in the US is afraid of you, China. >

Dam straight, paper tiger gonna look more and more like Russia as they keep this Taiwan foolishness going >

China ya lost.  You overplayed your hand. >

We need Japan to arm up as fast as possible.  That is why China threw a shit fit when Japan upped it's military spending. 
It's hilarious that Xi, the worthless trash on the bottom of a shoe, feels that he can tell Japan not to defend it's interests >

War would be bad for the entire planet but, as someone not from the US, it’s genuinely comical to me that China thinks it can engage the US in open war and win. 
In reality of course I think they know full well they can’t but the sabre rattling is comical in itself. >

For God sakes just do something or shut the fuck up >

Watch yourselves, China! Don't make the U.S. send Nancy Pelosi back to Taiwan! >

I wonder if they've done the dark Brandon r/darkbrandon 
,But Pelosi yet >

It is as if all of the megalomaniacs are competing to see who can face palm the fastest. Individual countries and billionaires! It's like a free-for-all!!!!!