And he will. -_-

90% of the Chinese population uses the American dollar as their currency. If China called us on our debt, we'd simply remove them from the national banking system and their money would literally be worthless, causing their own economy to collapse in a heart beat. It's why they never call us out.

And no, they're are not stronger than us, militarily. The US Navy, alone, is bigger than the next 5 largest navies, combined. China has a supposed 600 million + land force, but only about 2 million of those are actual trained fighters. The rest are "reserves" that the government can call upon if the country ever comes under direct attack, but do you really think they could effectively supply such a force. US and NATO would simply need to blockade China, and their military would literally starve to death. Our economy could recover from something like this; theirs could not.

Anyone who thinks that a war with China would be anything but a disaster is crazy. You can't beat them in a war because they have nukes. China is the largest exporter of goods to the US so that means the only option for many businesses would be to lay people off as you can't get cheaper goods. Any Chinese failure would have wide reaching economic implications all over the world. The list goes on. And for What? To get you way? No, there are smarter ways to deal with China than suicide. We should be focused on how we can reduce trade deficits or get mutually beneficial gains as the two economic superpowers. Where are the adults?

It'll likely happen anyway thanks to Trump's stupidity.

As for the "called that debt in", that would be suicide for both sides.

Otherwise, manufacturing is already shifting to markets like India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and so forth. It would hurt a lot of people (China is easily as dependent on the US purchasing their goods as the US is dependent on their manufacturing), but it wouldn't be a catastrophe. This is mostly just posturing as China feels Trump out.

As for the military, lawl. The USA still blows the Chinese military out of the water (and could do so quite literally).

Wishful thinking.

I think people are underestimating China and overestimating the USA in equal measure. Any real war between the two would leave both sides totally f@#ked.

Agreed. 

This article kinda sums it up, in a "global" war, China would lose, but in a head to head battle just around China .... China could actually beat the US according to military strategists.

http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2015/06/21/why-china-is-far-from-ready-to-meet-the-u-s-on-a-global-battlefront/

n a landmark analysis in 2008, the RAND Corporation, a California think tank, concluded that China would have a huge numerical advantage over the United States in any aerial battle near Taiwan. The size of the advantage would depend on whether U.S. forces staged from Kadena Air Base in Japan or Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. “China could enjoy a 3:1 edge in fighters if we can fly from Kadena,” the analysis warned, “about 10:1 if forced to operate from Andersen.” The report goes on to note that while American warplanes are generally technologically superior to their Chinese counterparts, they’re not 10 times superior.

China does not have pound for pound the same military size, but they don't really need to, they're not all over the world being the world's police man. 

The death toll inflicted upon American forces in any kind of head to head war with China would dwarf World War II and Vietnam easily, I have no doubt. That would not be an easy fight. 

A literal war between the US and China would likely be the end of modern society as we know it. Huge parts of the US, Asia, and probably even Europe would be hit by nuclear weapons cause large population centers to become radiation waste zones with hundreds of millions dead. 

I'm sorry to the "blue collar" old farts in the American mid-east who don't have shitty factories to work in anymore and are too uneducated to get work anywhere else, but that ain't worth going to war over. 

I just read the article and was thinking the same thing. More jobs for those in the US, and I'm pretty apple sales in China have been plummeting for years:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-is-performing-terribly-in-china-but-its-not-because-of-the-economy-2016-04-27

This seems like a bluff from the Chinese. They know the US is in a more powerful position as the net importer. It's not a small difference either. Around $366 billion I believe.

I think Trump is well aware of this.

This seems irrelevant. Trump has shown no interest in an aggressive foreign policy.

When he starts carrying on like the Bushes and Clintons I'll worry, but from what I've seen he will make trade deals that favour the US and will only use the military to defend the US should some other country chuck a tantrum and attack. Which seems unlikely.

Who knows though....power corrupts and Trump may become corrupted just like anyone else.