Ah trolls, they lurk and imagine I will post their diatribes freely. I do post ‘em, but keep ‘em on a tight rope. This is Walter’s 1.3 yuan (roughly $.02), responding to this post:

Walter said:
Green-eyed already? Speaks tons about your sense of security, or lack of. First of all, there wasn’t any “fanfare”, China kept a low profile. Secondly, Liaoning isn’t exactly a “catchy name”, just the name of a province in China. Not being a democracy means their military doesn’t engage in vulgar displays to justify military crap. China does everything by the book. The Lioaning isn’t meant to be a working aircraft carrier, just a proof of concept — to have a taste in operating such vessels. They can’t learn it anywhere and no one will teach them — certainly not from the declining superpower that is jealous of its rise. They follow that pragmatic method of learning-by-doing with unambitious steps in their first a-bomb, h-bomb, nuclear-powered subs. Where were you then? Giggling I suppose.

My reply:
Walter, Walter, Walter. I am giggling, at your response. My post was tongue-in-cheek; of course the Lioaning is not a catchy name. As for the PRC learning-by-doing, perhaps learning-by-stealing is the more apt phrase. And since your IP address resolves to Taiwan, I am surprised you are so supportive of your northern pals. (Note: please pronounce pals with a sardonic twist. I would not want to be misconstrued.)

Blogs. They are to diplomacy what the repeating rifle was to war. Speaking of China, did you know that 2 American middies were on the Zhenghe for 2 weeks this summer?