Fortunately, Artorius is able to assess the Chinese temporal expedition realistically from the outset.
(i) He knows what the Chinese regime was/would have been like in 2032. (In 2026, China is expanding economically, not militarily, but what will happen in the next six years?)
(ii) Now the early nuclear strike on Vienna makes sense. The Chinese had stolen Fuchs' temporal displacement process and were trying to forestall a Western temporal expedition.
(iii) It is reported that a member of the Chinese expedition killed a man by shooting him in the head.
The Romans have no alternative but to go to a war footing. It is the kind of thing that we expect although we still hope to see the Chinese secret police chief defeated and progress resumed.
14 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I don't know how good or bad are the armed forces of Maoist China. They could either be deadly effective or as much a Paper Dragon as the Russian Army is a Paper Bear.
But I am not so sure China's economy is in good shape or is growing much at all. Stirling has given us lengthy explanations for why he believes the "controlled capitalism" policies of the past 40 years are now failing. And the disruption in China's oil imports from Iran has to be worsening Peking's problems. Tough luck on Peking!
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Yes, we could get to WWIII in 2032.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Maybe, maybe not. Besides Peking probably being hobbled by economic stagnation, another problem it faces is demographic collapse, which Stirling has also discussed here.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
The demographic crash Maoist China faces will worsen its economic problems.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
Another point is that Black Jade (I hate how Pinyin butchers' Chinese names in Roman letters!) was not an original member of that Chinese time traveling team. She replaced someone who "disappeared," whom she suspected was eliminated for being politically "unreliable." Perhaps even shot by Col. Liu himself.
Ad astra! Sean
I modeled Black Jade on a number of young Chinese women I met in China in 2023, when I attended the WorldCon there.
Note that the Chinese economic growth rating is collapsing fast, except for exports -- the main explanation for those is that internal consumption is nose-diving. The 'official' rate is 4.3% annualized, but the 2nd quarter of 2026 has shrunk to 0.3%.
That is partly due to the demographic situation, and partly due to changes in economic policy -- Xi is hostile to private enterprise.
Kaor, Mr. Stirlng!
What you said about Black Jade reminded me of this bit from Chapter Twelve of THE WINDS OF FATE, after we see her reflecting that none of the Han era males appealed to her: "Despite the general shoddiness of the three or four young men who'd been trying to court her at any given time back then [the 21st century']. Some women enjoyed the surplus of males that selective abortion had unfortunately produced; she didn't." As Black Jade reflected, "It just made the men more pushy and desperate."
Yes, from what I read about the grotesque sexual and demographic imbalance in China, many young men are rude, ill-mannered dorks. But I have some sympathy for them, millions of men have no hope of ever having normal lives and families. I can't help but wonder how their despair and frustration will affect Chinese politics.
Also, a scarce "resource" like women will be more and monopolized by the Communist Party and its hangers on.
Not surprised by what you said about Maoist China's problems. And those problems will be worsened if exports drop severely. Perhaps partly because of Iranian oil imports get disrupted? And it sounds like Xi is reverting to Marxist orthodoxy.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: not completely, but he's pushing in that direction and it's had a deleterious effect on the Chinese economy. It's difficult to tell how much is that and how much is their demographic collapse -- their birth-rate is now below 1 child per woman.
I noticed endless vacant apartments while I was there -- they forgot that the population isn't growing any more!
And the young college student assigned to us had absolutely no desire for marriage or a family.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
People always seem to go back to bad old-failed ideas! (Sighs) We have too many similar idiots in the US.
Bad ideas, failed policies, demographic catastrophe, etc., are all reacting on each other and worsening the results.
Not just "ghost apartments"! Peking also had entire "ghost cities" built, as part of a desperate effort to "stimulate" the economy. Never mind how few people live there!
I remember what you said about the young lady who was your "minder." I hope she meets a decent young man and changes her mind.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Another thought I've had is wondering if Xi is having Chinese arms smuggled to Iran thru Afghanistan, so the theocracy can continue making trouble for its neighbors and the US. Plus urging Iran to keep on stringing along the US with false proposals of making a deal with DC. The longer Tehran can drag this out the more painful it will be for the US, esp. with the midterms coming up!
Nor am I forgetting how that bungler "Josip," or rather his puppet masters, again allowed the Taliban to seize power in Afghanistan.
Ad asra! Sean
"Nor am I forgetting how that bungler "Josip," or rather his puppet masters, again allowed the Taliban to seize power in Afghanistan."
I am not forgetting how much of the 'bungling' was done before Biden took office leaving him with no actually good choices. Was that bungling deliberate sabotage to leave Trump's successor with no good choices?
Sean: on certain topics you seem to have irrational prejudices. Eg: you seem to think that in US politics Democrats can do no good and Republicans can do no wrong.
Kaor, Jim!
I disagree, when "Josip" took office in 2021, the situation in Afghanistan was stable. That is, the previous Administration had reduced the US military presence to about 1500-2000 personnel, mostly the USAF. Their job was to attack Taliban concentrations, after which Afghan gov't units, such as Special Forces, would attack, to wipe them out. Such a program was making progress eliminating the Taliban scum.
What "Josip" did with his grotesquely chaotic, badly planned, tail between his legs scuttling out of Afghanistan in the summer of 2021 was to throw away all the gains so painfully won over the past 20 years! It enabled the Taliban and jihadists to again seize power in Kabul. It ended with fanatical Muslims literally whipping women thru the streets of Kabul!
I don't believe in silly conspiracy theories. What happened was stupid people making decisions based on stupid ideas and prejudices.
Yes, since at least the 1960's my belief has been (and remains) the Democrats can do nothing good (unless forced to by circumstances or a catastrophe). Wrong, the GOP has often left me feeling frustrated, with too many weak or unsatisfactory leaders. But the GOP, at its best, still believes in ideas/policies vastly better than anything US leftists have.
Everybody has prejudices! Nor do I believe all of them will be bad.
Ad astra! Sean
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