• frezik@midwest.social
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        6 hours ago

        To stealman it, I’d say it’s in how China has a large navy that’s also incapable, or has extensive R&D that copies the west’s homework and only makes cheap parts. Russia is both incapable of taking on Ukraine and justifies the need for much greater EU military expenditure.

        There’s some nuance to this. China’s navy is large, but it’s mostly built as a green water navy (close to their shores), and not a blue water navy. Russia can’t take Ukraine, but it’s because both the EU and US have been feeding them, and US support is drying up.

        China’s R&D, however, is something I think we should take more seriously. They’ve done most of the practical applications of new battery tech and have spun up an EV industry from scratch.

      • SinAdjetivos@lemmy.world
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        4 hours ago

        Taken very seriously while it’s economy is in shambles and it’s military is depleted to the point of relying on Soviet era relics?

        • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
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          1 hour ago

          Why can’t both of those be true? Should Europe ignore Russia until they CAN march into Amsterdam? There are far too many corpses in Ukraine not to take them seriously, regardless of economics.