The Sun Never Sets on the Chinese Empire

The Age of Imperialism is over. But only for the Western powers. Last February Russia annexed Crimea. But more importantly the Chinese annexed several islands in the South China Sea, the Diaoyu or Senkaku islands depending on which nation you talk to. They have being building the islands into fortified airstrips because they are too far behind the aircraft carrier curve to go toe to toe with us. But you cant sink an island.

But that's not the only expansionist actions China has taken recently. China is sinking its talons into South America as we speak. Ecuador is so in debt to China its selling 8 million hectares of the Amazon rain forest to Chinese oil companies. Ecuador owes China $7 billion dollars, which doesn't sound like much, until you realize that is 10% of their entire GDP.

Between 2008 and 2012 China lent over $80 billion dollars to South American countries. Consider that an investment. China's economy is growing so vast that it cannot sustain itself with its own raw materials. Its looking to essentially buy third world nations so it has access to all the resources its needs.

But its not just South America. China has become Africa's biggest trading partner trading $160 billion in goods a year.

China is developing third world nations all around the world in order to provide a steady stream of resources to its growing industrial machine. But it also needs food an land. China has the largest population on the planet.

China and Russia have recently signed a deal giving 300,000 hectares of agricultural land for about 24 billion Rubles for 49 years. This land is located in Russia's Federal District of the Far East.

 Th Far Eastern district is the largest district in Russia at 2,400,000 sq mi. It also has the lowest population at approximately 7 million Russian citizens on the last census. I specify Russian citizens because there are thought to be 2-5 million illegal Chinese workers in the region. This presents an interesting dilemma. With the lease of the land the Chinese also want to push for easier access to the region for Chinese workers. If enough Chinese move into the region to the point were the Chinese Government feels the need to protect them, they may steal the Russians play from Crimea and annex the region. After all, one of the most valuable things to China right now is land.