The Strategic Map of the Future is Taking Shape

Two important events occurring now. First, Russia and China will begin joint military exercises in just a matter of hours.

The Washington Times reports:

A joint Chinese and Russian military exercise set to begin tomorrow is meant as a political signal to the United States, in addition to helping Moscow showcase its weapons for sale to China, U.S. defense and intelligence officials said yesterday.

"For the Chinese and the Russians, this is a message to the United States," one U.S. official said. "They want to see our bases in Central Asia and presence in Asia cut back."

Read it here.

Both nations have regional ambitions and see the US presence as an obstacle to be overcome. Whatever their differences, and they are immense, Russia and China will continue to cooperate to exclude US influence from Central and East Asia, but it already is clear that in this regard China will be the dominant partner -- Russia just doesn't have the demographic and economic clout anymore.

Meanwhile, the US is firming up its alliances in the region. In a striking development, the Australian reports:

THE United States has allowed New Zealand to take part in a joint military exercise this week, ending a 20-year freeze in defence cooperation, but has refused to say whether the approval signalled a wider thaw.

Australia, Japan and Britain are also involved with New Zealand and the United States in the multi-national exercise off Singapore, which is based around the interception of ships carrying weapons of mass destruction.

Read it here.

So there you have it. New Zealand is back in the fold, just two days after the death of former PM David Lange, who instituted the anti-American, anti-Bush policies two decades ago.

Two great strategic blocs are taking shape -- one centered in China, the other in the Anglosphere. The conflict between them will determine the course of Asian history over the next several decades.