新冠起源的争议

indy

Government agencies opening up to idea covid possibly leaked from the lab.

So far the FBI and the Department of Energy seem to be convinced the evidence leans that way. Most others are either not convinced or leaning to natural origins.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/27/p ... -matters/index.html

indy

China's (potential) hegemonic expansion - I reckon their so-called expansionism is limited to at most the following: 1. Claim back all Tibetan land occupied by India. 2. Claim back Diaoyudao/Shenkaku from Japan. 3. Assert control of SCS waters and features based on 9-line. 4. Reunify with Taiwan. These are all the lands it wants to take back. From China's perspective, it's NOT aggression or expansionism but taking back what's historically/traditionally theirs.
Whereas, it'll not attempt to take back Outer Mongolia (now Republic of Mongolia which declared independence with Soviet' s direct intervention about 100 years ago), it'll not attempt to take back Vladivostok and vast swath of Siberian land from Russia. It'll not attempt to take back Shakalin island from Russia (Japan took it from China about 100 years ago and then Soviet Union took it from Japan during WW2).

These are all the so-called "land grabbing" (from non Chinese perspective) and retrieving of lost land (from China's perspective) that China is aiming at.

Military outposts - establish a few navy bases on countries like Cambodia, South Pacific Islands, Sri Lanka, one in Africa aside from Djibouti. The goal is to allow its aircraft carriers and navy fleet (targeted to have 6) to be turned into a blue sea navy and anchor for replenishment to protect its marine trade routes. Beefing up its military to protect China's long coastline and to contain US military adventurism in SCS.

Then, economic-wise, China aims to use the BRI initiative to maximize China's economic interests via trading and exporting of its infrastructure know-how and manufactured products.

Geopolitical influence - to increase its influence and establish as co-leader of multipolar world so that it'll no longer be subject to Western bullying and exploitation - accomplishing the revival of China.

Surely, it cannot be denied that China, as a sovereign state, has an inherent right to fulfill those aspirations.