Re: China Concerns

        When you say that China's history is not "expansionist," you would
have to forget about China during the 18th Century, in the heyday of the
Manchu (Ch'ing) Dynasty.  Between the 1690s and the 1790s China
incorporated Mongolia, Sinkiang, Tibet, and Tsinghai into its empire
(doubling its area) and invaded Nepal, Burma, and Vietnam.  The Manchus 
had already, in the 17th Century, invaded Korea, reducing it to vassalage, 
and conquered Taiwan.  In addition, most of Southeast Asia was required to
pay tribute to the Empire.  None of this means that China in the year 2000
is required to behave like China in the year 1760, but China does not have
a history of always minding its own business.  Who does?

        Warren Wagar
        SUNY-Binghamton