The Spanish Plan to Conquer China

[Tooting Carmen]

Do you know how huge China is? Even if they took one city, they probably would've been pushed back after. Take into account that a century later, the Ming rebel pirate Zheng Chenggong kicked the Dutch out of Taiwan where they were heavily fortified.

Centuries later, an industrial Britain was able to take Hong Kong, but even when China was very weak, most of the foreign invasions were limited to treaty ports and concession areas, not whole provinces. The only European power that was able to seize large territories from China was Russia, which was next door and took sparsely populated regions in what is now known as Primorsky Krai where Vladivostok was, and also helped Mongolia gain independence.

It's actually pretty incredible that despite the collapse of the Chinese empire and how everything devolved into chaos, the PRC today pretty much controls nearly the same borders as the height of the Qing dynasty except for Mongolia, Taiwan and some regions of Siberia. I mean look at how much territory the Ottoman empire lost, or the Soviet Union, or a lot of the other massive land empires that had existed 200 years ago.

True that. Having said that, I do think that at least Tibet and Xinjiang will eventually gain independence.

[zhaoyun]

True that. Having said that, I do think that at least Tibet and Xinjiang will eventually gain independence.

I doubt it. Northern Xinjiang is heavily Hanicized nowadays, even the Uighurs there have been pretty acculturated to Han culture. The Uighurs in Southern Xinjiang are still pretty un-assimilated, that is where the independence movement is centered.

Tibetans are becoming pretty assimilated into the Chinese nation, much more than what people might expect, especially the younger generations.

This has continually happened for thousands of years and it is why the Han Chinese are the biggest tribe in the world, they keep assimilating other ethnic groups.

[zhaoyun]

The Ottoman Empire and the Soviet Union was dealing with large groups of distinct ethnic groups who saw the Russians and Turks as 'others.' The Ottoman collapse had everything to do with their weak stranglehold on ethnic minorities who were embolden by ethnic nationalism.

This is the ethnic map of China. Half of China is not Han. The green areas are the Han core.



So it's not really all that different from the Ottoman or Soviet empires. But China has been able to solidify their control through ethnic expansion or ethnic assimilation much more effectively.

[StonyArabia]

Spaniards would suck in China ... the Chinese are not native Americans or Arabs! China survived the European barbarians!

Arabs lol? We ruled Spain for nearly 800 years. We also defeated the Portuguese in Oman. We also defeated the Chinese in strategic battle of Talas, which lead to the end of Sinization in Central Asia.

[Dandelion]

As huge as this?

If only you kept the Northern bit of the Low Countries. But the Dutch were a thorn in your side believing silly heretic ideas.

Funny how South Italians once were our 'compatriots' lol.

[Autrigón]

If only you kept the Northern bit of the Low Countries. But the Dutch were a thorn in your side believing silly heretic ideas.

Funny how South Italians once were our 'compatriots' lol.

Yes, The fellowship of the Sicilian Night Clubs

[Dominicanese]

i thik all of the americas was enough lol

[Damião de Góis]

Arabs lol? We ruled Spain for nearly 800 years. We also defeated the Portuguese in Oman. We also defeated the Chinese in strategic battle of Talas, which lead to the end of Sinization in Central Asia.

It's funny that you consider that an accomplishment.

[Cristiano viejo]

Arabs lol? We ruled Spain for nearly 800 years.

No, you did not. You only ruled that time in Granada. Why do you lie? do you feel better lying?

If only you kept the Northern bit of the Low Countries. But the Dutch were a thorn in your side believing silly heretic ideas.

Funny how South Italians once were our 'compatriots' lol.

jejej Sicilo-Flemish bortherhood

[Dandelion]

No, you did not. You only ruled that time in Granada. Why do you lie? do you feel better lying?

It's a common misconception muslims ruled all of Spain for that long (and Asturia always was a Christian stronghold). Ignorance really. In the 12 century only Southern Spain was Also 'we' is very far-fetched. It's like me saying 'we' when talking about Swedes.

Good video on this.