China to build 40 billion dollar Nicaraguan canal

[Josquius]

I mean yeah... it's not like when (if) the Chinese finish building this alleged canal the US will just waltz in and say "nice canal, I think I'll take it" out of the blue. That's politically impossible... mainly because the US doesn't do shit like that.

Exactly.

But if push came to shove and the canal was significant, do you doubt that the US could take control of it? It would be an act of war, against significant Chinese interests so it would likely precipitate an armed conflict between the two countries (if one was not already under way)... but do you doubt American ability to actually pull it off?

In a silly war game scenario of course not. China wouldn't even try to defend it, it's not a military asset. I'd imagine the US would take it without a shot being fired and the only trouble being a few whiney Chinese civilians who are working there.

[jimmy olsen]

In what world are transoceanic canals not strategic assets?

[Josquius]

In what world are transoceanic canals not strategic assets?

In a world where even the entrance to the canal is hilariously outside of your navy's operating range and your area of military interest, let alone the ocean on the other side.

[Razgovory]

Why does China have to fight the US?  Couldn't it be useful for China if they went to India or Indonesia?

[Capetan Mihali]

In what world are transoceanic canals not strategic assets?

In a world where even the entrance to the canal is hilariously outside of your navy's operating range and your area of military interest, let alone the ocean on the other side.

Does not China fill up a whole hell of a lot of container ships bound for every which way on Planet Earth?   

[Siege]

An interesting move.  The US essentially announced it's presence on the world stage with the Panama canal.

Exactly. I've been saying for years that China is the real enemy.
But Malthus was like "Hey, China will collapse in two years", like 10 years ago.
Still waiting.

[Josquius]

In what world are transoceanic canals not strategic assets?

In a world where even the entrance to the canal is hilariously outside of your navy's operating range and your area of military interest, let alone the ocean on the other side.

Does not China fill up a whole hell of a lot of container ships bound for every which way on Planet Earth?   

[Viking]

This does make sense for china from china's point of view. The Chinese Communist party lives in a world where politics and diplomacy trumps commerce and contracts. They believe that in a trade war with the US american puppets in panama city will close the canal to chinese commerce. In their mind they need an alternative canal in a country run by either chinese puppets or irrational anti-americans.

This is a source of conflict in the sense that china will now defend the sandinistas diplomatically, like they do the Sudan government.

[grumbler]

This does make sense for china from china's point of view. The Chinese Communist party lives in a world where politics and diplomacy trumps commerce and contracts. They believe that in a trade war with the US american puppets in panama city will close the canal to chinese commerce. In their mind they need an alternative canal in a country run by either chinese puppets or irrational anti-americans.

This is a source of conflict in the sense that china will now defend the sandinistas diplomatically, like they do the Sudan government.

I agree with this.  The object of the canal isn't to make money.  Hell, the canal may never even be built.  The objective here is to demonstrate to the people of central and south America that China takes its interests (political, economic, etc) there seriously.

The idea that the first trans-isthmus canal was built at Panama rather than Nicaragua because of some fluke volcanic eruption or whatever  is bogus.  All of the planning for 20 years before the canal was built compared the two locations, and both long-term studies (before the French effort, and again before the American efforts) ended up concluding that the Nicaraguan route was not economically feasible, despite the lesser elevations that needed to be overcome.

I don't think this canal will ever be built.

[sbr]

Why does China have to fight the US?  Couldn't it be useful for China if they went to India or Indonesia?

Why would the Chinese usea canal in Nicaragua to get to Indonesia?

[Neil]

Of course it won't be built.  Nicaragua is pretty wide, even across the southern provinces.  That's be a lot of work and would cost a lot more than $40 billion.

Also, watching Jos at work in this thread was pretty funny.

[mongers]

Interesting development, given the real and projected increase in number of 'post-panama' sized container ships and the shift to slow steaming, a canal of the that size might significantly cheapen China to Gulf and East seaboard ports shipping costs.

[KRonn]

Good points about the political end of this. China gains some leverage in Central America, supports the local government, makes some inroads. China has become very active all over the world. A lot of interests in Africa. Chinese companies have some large oil contracts with Iraq. Mining in Afghanistan including for rare minerals. Apparently a mineral rich area. I wonder how much similar the US and the nations fighting or that did fight in Iraq or Afghanistan have going on in those countries?

[alfred russel]

An interesting move.  The US essentially announced it's presence on the world stage with the Panama canal.

If China really wants to make an impression they should do something that hasn't been achieved yet. The Panama Canal was quite a feat: over 100 years ago.

[Viking]

Of course it won't be built.  Nicaragua is pretty wide, even across the southern provinces.  That's be a lot of work and would cost a lot more than $40 billion.

Also, watching Jos at work in this thread was pretty funny.

I'm waiting for you to bring up the issue of wider and longer locks making dreadnoughts larger than the U.S.S. Texas viable.