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by justicezyx 1816 days ago
No, even in Vietnam, Deng Xiaoping stroke and then retreated immediately, followed by 2 years of border clash intentionally to be low degree.

It's a punishment on Vietnam's foreign invasion into Cambodia and Thailand.

You can call it a bully. But usually such behavior is more neutrally assessed.
2 comments
AnimalMuppet 1816 days ago
That wasn't the first Chinese invasion of Vietnam, though. The first time they stayed for a thousand years. (At least, that's how the Vietnamese tell it.)
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justicezyx 1816 days ago
Vietnam was conquered for some time, maybe in Ming dynasty. Then got independence. Don't quote me on this, my memory is rough.
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hnxs 1816 days ago
Retreated immediately because they lost. It was even referred to as an embarrassment internally, and directly led to modernization of the PRC military.
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dirtyid 1816 days ago
Deng intended limited attack. And the incursion was limited.

>It was even referred to as an embarrassment internally

The theory was Deng, new in power intentionally wanted to embarrass powerful PLA brass to consolidate power. He was successful in that regard. It embarrassed the right people, by design.

>and directly led to modernization of the PRC military.

PLA modernization was in response to US stomping Iraq in Gulf War later. Anemic PLA was sufficient for Vietnam if they chose to press on with campaign. Poverty navy was enough for SCS against Vietnam (the other Sino-Vietnam war). Vietnam had very little influence on PLA modernization.

>because they lost

Categorical success in retrospect. PRC set back Vietnam development by 10+ years, forced CPV to dump resources into defense spending while wrecking enough of the country that Vietnam missed out on FDI that went straight to modernizing PRC. Current boom in Vietnam could have happened decade+ earlier during a period with greater potential to capitalize on offshoring before automation.

Common thread in these events is that PRC focused on / won political victories, i.e. war is merely the continuation of politics with other means. That said politics as alternative to war still realistically involves bullying.

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