Maybe they already know where it went down.

Your other comments are spot on, though. They are selling us the rope, but I suspect they are finding it so profitable they may wind up hanging themselves with it too.

Just a WAG:

That plane was going to China, with mostly Chinese passengers aboard. Suppose there was something aboard, some cargo, luggage, perhaps even a document or flash drive, they didn’t want anyone to know was aboard. It might not necessarily be some big military secret or intelligence thing… maybe just a little industrial espionage. Having it examined by experts might be very embarrassing.

Maybe they don’t want the wreckage to be found.

A while back the Chinese destroyed one of their own satellites, apparently the only purpose being to show the US it could do it.

They have also demonstrated a capacity to hack into US military computers, and shut down the internet in various ways. Again, a warning to the US.

Several years ago a Chinese diesel submarine surfaced in the middle of a US carrier group in the Far East. The US had no idea it was there. It surfaced, then submerged. The current generation of diesel-electric subs may have limited range but they are the quietest out there. It seems the only purpose of that sub surfacing was to signal that it could have taken than carrier out at will.

The US is not making any adequate provision to accommodate another superpower, and so far hasn’t really had to. But the determinant of domination isn’t military strength but economic strength.

The US has even shifted much of it’s technical manufacturing to China, including computer chips. It’s conceivable that in the not-too-distant future the Chinese could maul if not cripple American high-tech production. They supply, for instance, some of the computer hardware used on the ill-fated American F-35. That is humiliating, and a very poor sign. If the Chinese cut off all exports to the US it would cause chaos.

I know, I know, it would be cutting off their noses to spite their faces. They are dependent upon us, too, to suck up their surplus cash. And, if the situation deteriorated all it would take would be the threat to halt exports and the US would be kissing their behinds.

The US should plan on obtaining military strategies and equipment based upon reality, the way wars are fought. It’s not force which wins wars. It’s economic capacity, production, will, and intelligence.

The US has relied upon force ever since WWII and did win in Korea but lost everywhere else. And should start making provisions for sharing superpower status with China, and Russia. And increasing out ties with the European Alliance, which is also a significant power.

That’s going to mean more compromises, realizing that not every country shares our values or has the best interests of the US first on their list.

If we stopped overreacting, learned what motivates our enemies (besides the juvenile “they hate us for out way of life” and tried to win hearts and minds we would be far, far more powerful than we are.

The Chinese aren’t there, yet, but they have advantages the US doesn’t. They have a population which is becoming increasingly educated, they have an economy which can be directed which the US only did during WWII, they have money and manufacturing capacity and they have people. Lots of people, maybe your basic Mark I person, but enough to not only capture territory but occupy it.

What this has to do with your comment about the Chinese hearing a ping I’m not sure. Maybe a sub heard the ping, the Chinese have capacities of which we haven’t been informed. I don’t think they are just a woofin’, though.

Arf