Interesting read there Raellus. I'm definitely keen to read what you and Rainbow Six have cooked up (and I reckon many others here would be too!)
Out of curiousity, can you explain anything more or give some hints about major events (maybe in a specific thread perhaps?)
I'm interested to see how China plays out in any updated timeline because I tend to see them as a believable future (fictional) enemy. Although they haven't shown much belligerence in the real world, there are certainly signs that they might take it further. For example, there's been a slew of Chinese "advice" to Australia to watch itself in regards to our ties to the USA and also to Japan.
China has also been trying to curry favour with many island nations in the Pacific with gifts of roadworks, building projects, vehicles and even passenger/freight aircraft. The overall view is that they are seeking alternate sources for fishing and minerals but the "other" talk claims that this foreign aid is specifically to help them open a friendly (as in "totally Chinese controlled") naval base. That coupled with their recent advances in making a more professional and technologically updated military gives some good avenues for game-world speculation.
Further reading: -
Chinese "advice" to Australia (note that the dates are from 2012 onwards so it's not something that has just "popped up" of late)
http://www.the-american-interest.com...nts-australia/
http://www.theage.com.au/national/ch...606-1zwp0.html
http://www.businessinsider.com.au/ch...s-tiger-2013-1
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politi...122-2d52d.html
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/busi...e6ebb0e096c832
http://www.theasanforum.org/australi...in-turbulence/
China in the Pacific
http://www.lowyinstitute.org/issues/chinese-foreign-aid
http://pacificpolicy.org/blog/2012/0...ea-of-contest/
https://www.aspi.org.au/publications...ds-regionalism
http://www.usni.org/magazines/procee...-pacific-basin
http://www.lowyinstitute.org/publica...nd-governments
http://www.lowyinstitute.org/news-an...itute-analysis
http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/...e-Pacific.aspx
http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2013/s3759160.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-1...acific/4686328