>>498203723
>why would the chinese be interested in invading though?
It has to do with how the map is and the "island chains" between China's mainland and access to the open ocean. ALL sea-borne trade with the chinese mainland has to pass within strike range of an island before continuing on to trade partners outside of south east asia (India, Middle East, Africa, Europe via Suez, South America, Latin America, Mexico, America (east coast via Panama canal). They're in one of the worst possible spots for international ocean-borne trade in the world.

Japan is the "final island chain" between China and the open Pacific Ocean, and thus a direct obstacle to any kind of naval attack on Hawaii or the US mainland. Japan is also heavily occupied by the US military, especially the Navy and Air Force, which are there almost entirely to prevent a "breakout" of Chinese forces into the open Pacific Ocean (we learned at least THAT lesson in WW2).

I don't really count the "third" island chain as realistic, but the first two are very real. And China has had very bad relations with the Philippines and other island nations in the area. Just like Japan, for China to break out and become a real global threat, they would need to occupy those islands and militarize them to ensure safe passage of their navy from those seas out to the wider Pacific and Indian oceans.

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Why do they fear China so much?