4 Chinese bases, as compared to 800 or so US bases. And what is the death toll of Chinese military interventions since the second World War? Not sure, but it certainly isn't racking up to the millions upon millions killed by US foreign intervention. Like the other commenter is saying, don't support nation states, good on you. But doing bothsidesism and false balances when talking about Empire is absurd. Like calling US empire 'less problematic' 🤡

[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 days ago

China is still in their phase of keeping their interventions within their borders. The "trail of tears phase" so to say

[–] glizzyguzzler@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Oh no I was just being pedantic

[–] spacedout@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

You got me. Nice one, funny person.

[–] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Of course modern China is an empire. Just without overseas military bases. A soft empire, one might say.

4 Chinese bases

So China does have oversees bases and is therefore in fact not a "soft empire" but a fully fledged empire.

Don't know why you bring up the US, we were talking about China. Which is by your definition an empire and should be treated as such.

[–] spacedout@lemmy.ml 2 points 5 days ago

No, foreign bases does not an empire make. If that was the case, watch out for Bangladesh. This dick measuring between nation states is unproductive and serves to legitimize imperialism itself. Rather than comparing oppressions, our focus should be on understanding and opposing the global system that enables imperial powers to divide and exploit working people worldwide.

[–] dragonfucker@lemmy.nz 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

without overseas military bases

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Garrison

And if you're gonna say Hong Kong doesn't count because it's already been assimilated into the empire, that's not great evidence against it being an empire.