Welcome to POSC240-012!
This is where you will be posting 10 blogs throughout the semester; 4 blogs in September, 3 in October, & 3 in November. Your entries should tackle current events, reactions to lectures and readings, & comments & questions about the class.
Make sure you write substantial and thought-provoking entries & write your full name at the end of each post!
Start blogging!
Nick & Sara
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
China
Someone suggested that we add a topic about China and its position in the world today as a rising power. Blog away!
hey everyone, i asked sarah to start this blog mostly because china out of no where has become this huge power with millions of people in their country. Im not going to pretend to be an expert about how they have become so political influential all of a sudden, but i know that they are rapidly expanding. One issue that I do know is China is going to have a huge oil consumption as more and more people buy cars there as well. I also know that with the olympics coming, they will get the world stage to show their progress as a potential superpower in the coming years. To wrap up....is China someone we should be worried about?
First of all, I believe there are actually more than millions of people in China, there are more than 1.3 billion people the live in the republic of China making it the most populated Country in the world. There is also a lot going on there now like the upcoming Summer Olympics that was mentioned above. Also the whole deal that we discussed in class about Taiwan trying to become its own nation in the UN and to have itself separate from China. With these problem also going on I do not think China is something that we should be worried about because it seems as if they have some problems of their own that they need to take care of.
Well, I personally think that when we talk about any world power and whether or not we should be worried, the answer is always yes. As we talked about in class, with the entire Taiwan issue, what happens if the US backed Taiwan and a conflict began with China? I mean, they have the highest number of active troops in the world and the third highest number of total troops (thank you Wikipedia). I think that it is naive to consider any country that has enough power a complete non-threat, because you really never can tell what happens in today's day and age. While I should stress it's a longshot to think that we would ever get into a conflict with China, it is still a possibility that we must accept, the same as any other. As for China becoming just more of a world power overall, I would say that they are surpassing what we expected of them and are excelling in many different areas. For example, their economy has been continually on the rise so much for such a long time when compared to most other nations, their technology is becoming more and more advanced, and on top of that they just keep making more and more babies, so we know they will somehow find a way to keep expanding their influence around the globe. I would definetely say that we should worry about China somewhat, and at the least accept them as a world power that poses a threat to us and may easily surpass us one day.
I think that we should both worry about China potentially becoming a superpower but also embrace it. In an economic view, China is causing an up rise in economics causing competition and with competition causes better technological advances and products. But we must also recognize that there have been many recalls in Chinese merchandise, partly due to poor environmental practices. Also they are a communist regime with a strong military force that poses a threat to our nation. In conclusion I think we should be worried at a military stance but as an economic one no.
The Taiwan issue (from China's perspective) seems almost like a non-issue...being one of the 5 countries that make up teh UN Security Council, they basically have the ability to veto anything that tries to get passed in the UN...including the acceptance of Taiwan.
And as far as China being communist...they are hardly communist anymore, and any last strands of real communism that exist in the country are likely to fade away in the upcoming years, exemplified by the recent opening of Chinese stock markets.
Just to add to the ongoing topic of China here, I'd like to mention that last spring China demonstrated their ballistic technology by launching a missile and blowing up a satellite in orbit. Now there's all the debris from the satellite in orbit flying around like speeding bullets. Furthermore, China informed no one of such technology or the fact that they were actually going to test it. If they have the capabilities to take out a satellite in orbit then they can strategically do so against whomever they consider an enemy in a time of war. China's deviousness here leads me to wonder what else they are capable of and what other nations around the world need to be concerned about as they emerge as a new world power.
I believe that within th next few hundred years china will become the next great global power. All great civilizations rise to the great world power and then fall. I feel that if and when the United States is no longer the greatest world power our role will be filled by china. With 798 million people in chinas work forces and countless natural resources to use china is one of the worlds greatest producers of good that are sent around the world and in particular to the United States. China also exports far more goods then they import which brings great wealth to their country. This also makes china the worlds largest economy. Alot of the United States debt is help by china which gives them a great steping stone to take over as the next great world power. I hope that the United States can step up and hold our role as the worlds great society and center for the modern world.
This is an article that shows that China is not only growing in the corporate world, but also the sports' world. Basketball has been a growing phenomenon in China. Many top executives, including Timothy Chen of Microsoft, are pushing for China’s own branch of the NBA. The NBA views that moving into China will have positive results. I think it’s interesting that a huge company like Microsoft has such a passion for basketball and bringing the NBA to China. It seems like a lot of corporations are connected in some way. Chen is very respected in China, and by the way he was raised in Taiwan. I would have never thought that a businessman like Chen would be involved in sports like he is. Apparently basketball is a huge cultural aspect that China shares with the United States. I guess this gives a tiny bit of power (?) back to the US because after all it was invented and perfected here.
This notion of whether or not China is a major power, sometimes referred to as super power, is an issue that has been discussed throughout this thread. I feel as though this idea needs to be addressed for clarity and consistency. First, the sheer volume of people in the country alone makes them a force in all aspects of social, economical, and political controls. When 1/6 of the world is doing something, China, the rest of the world, the other 5/6 of the population, is taking notice. (Example: technology as we know it today) From an economic point, they own us financially accounting for the majority of our government debt and are a major force in the US trade deficit. If the Chinese currency was publicly traded, that would have more faith backing it then the US Dollar. Contrary to popular belief, China changing its fixed exchange rate is not the answer to our economic problems. Politically, they are still classified as a communist power much greater than any democratic nation. Collectively, democratic nations have control, but is that to say that Western powers have to unite in order to combat China? I can't help but argue against the US as a superpower, or even the most dominant power, when China owns our country on more levels than one. Ignoring the war on terror, if China and the US started a war, China's troops alone would thwart our efforts in winning. To say that the US is the most dominant power is to ignore over 1 billion people calling us liars. Although, ignoring China is something that westerners have been doing for centuries. We should maintain a strong relationship with China in so that the US economy does not crash at the mere thought of China losing confidence in our abilities.
I just would like to comment on the idea that China is moving away from communism because of their stock markets or what not. Last semester I actually went to a conference where James Mann was speaking about his book "The China Fantasy: How Our Leaders Explain Away Chinese Repression". If anyone has the time to read the book, I did and I recommend it. It goes into the idea that although China is becoming a superpower and is becoming economically successful and what not, it still will remain to be a one-party system under the Chinese Communist Party. He says that even though our leaders are saying the Chinese are moving towards a government more like the United States, that this is actually far from the truth and they are only saying this to please the people. I agree with his ideas on this. Yes, China is becoming something economically that we could never have expected 100 years ago, but it must also be recognized that other things may not change. My problem is if they are having such success economically with the government they have now, why would they change that? I think that it is a fallacy that every country that becomes successful in one area automatically wants to change everything and become exactly like the United States (regarding their government). If China ever does become a full democracy, I don't think any of us will live to see that day.
China is definitely making its way onto the scene as a superpower; its economy is expanding incredibly rapidly. The same occurred for Japan after World War II, and today it is one of the world’s economic powerhouses -- second only to the United States. Several people have discussed the idea of China as a “threat.” Economically, I believe China is going to continue to grow at an advancing rate. However, as Marks touched on in his book The Origins of the Modern World, China is advancing so rapidly at the expense of ignoring its citizens. The rural poor have little to no voice in Chinese politics, a situation that could prove to be dangerous for the Chinese government. Moreover, China is also accepting many more capitalistic policies and has allowed for the privatization of several industries, a big step away from communism. Thus, it is difficult to tell what the nature of this new superpower China will be, for, currently, so many changes are occurring within its borders.
Good thoughts about a rising China in the international system. I think that you're both correct regarding the disconnect between the government and its people. Kimberly, it's quite amazing that China can emerge as a capitalist powerhouse on the one hand, yet remain a one party authoritarian state on the other. This defies what many scholars think about capitalism and democracy. Most argue that one flows to the next; however with China we are seeing that that rule is not a law of nature.
I believe that we should be concerned as to the development of China. With a steadily increasing population, we will begin to see the Chinese taking over more jobs and businesses. China was once America's major clothing consumers. But today, China is developing its own brands and lines that will be sold to American stores, putting the Chinese in the drivers seat. While a shift in marketing and economics is evident in the upcoming years, I believe that China should first look inward before expanding anymore. China is choking on its own success. The economy is doing great, but the growth derives from an expansion of heavy industry and urbanization that requires colossal inputs of energy, almost all from coal. If China doesn't watch out, they will crumble before they can rise.
According to this article, China is definitely the new global power to be worried about and its rise to power is no longer questionable. China is a global power for the United States to be concerned with. China “has the world's largest army (2.5 million men) and the fourth largest defense budget, which is rising by more than 10 percent annually.” China’s growth does benefit the United States in some aspects because by buying U.S. treasury bills, China allows the U.S. to keep buying and spending its money, which ultimately keeps the world economy going [and putting us further into debt]. The U.S. definitely is relying on China too much. The article discusses great-power conflict and states that “when the world's leading power is challenged by a rising one, the two have a difficult relationship.” Therefore, just because nothing is said in the open, both the U.S. and China know that conflict could be possible in the future. Thus, I think that China is indeed a nation to be worried about both economically and in regards to the military.
I think there have been some very interesting comments made about this whole issue here. When it comes to China, I'm not really sure which way the tides will turn. I am leaning toward the idea that China, while economically powerful because of it's manufactured products, is not a major threat to the US in terms of global dominance, which I think is what people are worrying about. I was actually in China last Winter Session. I speak conversational Chinese, so it made the experience more authentic. What I noticed the most throughout my trip was the ignorance of the people about their own country, and also that most of them wanted to leave it for the US. Our TA Vivian, who is a PhD student at Beijing Normal University did not know what happened on Tiananmen Square in 1989. I found out that practically none of the people did, and I got the feeling the government would have been pretty ticked off if they realized American students were coming in and actually revealing the truth to their people. Also, the prison system is still so messed up, and people are so scared to step out of line. There is massive poverty throughout the country, despite the country being so economically powerful. The pollution is horrible; Beijing is the most polluted country in the world, and the people walk around with masks over their faces to filter out the filth in the air (you can see the black spots over their mouths and noses). All in all, I think China has a lot to worry about domestically, and I think that may affect the way they interact globally.
I think we as a nation should be worried about China. Over one billion people live in the country, and they have a strong, growing economy. We currently have to deal with China undervaluing its currency to boost exports resulting in U.S. consumers buying low-cost Chinese goods, leading to a severe trade imbalance. China's exports to the United States have grown exponentially from 2001 to 2007, nearly tripling.
Whenver you are the top dog, you always have to worry about the next big thing coming and taking your place. China is clearly on the rise; Chinese is the language to learn right now simply becuase of how much business is and will be happening in China. I'd say China is definatley a threat to the United States.
A question I have for those interested in the rise of China: Is it in the interest of the United States to try and revitalize itself, to keep our position as the greatest superpower in the world? Or is it "fate", that our nation should sink into decay and be eclipsed by China?
As for my own personal opinion, I feel that it /is/ possible for the United states to rise up again, but drastic measures will have to be taken, economically-speaking especially. Any thoughts?
Perhaps the most disconcerting factor of China’s explosive economic growth in the past two decades is the byproduct that comes along with it; pollution. China’s massive industrial boom is taking an irreversible toll on the environment. Cancer has become the leading cause of death in China. Foul air and water contribute to rising healthcare costs and overall degradation of the quality of life for China’s population. Coal, mined throughout China, is the most prevalent source of fuel for industrial players. Scientists predict that by 2010, China will surpass the U.S. as the worlds leading producer of greenhouse gasses. Everyone is worried about China “owning the world” one day, but a legitimate and tangible concern is the scar it is producing on the earth. It will never be able to grow into a superpower without cleaning up its act. How can a society thrive on toxic air and putrid water? And it’s not like its only China’s problem. Pollution in the form of acid rain is carried to neighbors such as South Korea. If China doesn’t start cleaning up its act, it’s going to have to deal with serious implications both from within and from outside.
China has undoubtedly emerged as a world power in record fashion and there economy has been rising faster than any other country as of late. A great example of China’s progress is Pudong in Shenghai. 15 years ago Pudong was completely undeveloped. Now as Shenghai’s financial district it is 8 times London’s financial district and is just a bit smaller than Chicago. Their economy has been growing around 9 percent for 25 years now and that’s the fastest growth to date in history. To me, that truly shows that China is an up and coming world power. They completely dominate the low cost manufacturing in which Wal-Mart imported $18 billion worth of goods from China. On another note, I also agree with others who feel that China becoming a dominant force in the world is going to cause a serious power conflict. And it just so happens that China poses the biggest threat to the U.S. which will most likely cause tension because it is the powerhouse versus the up and coming powerhouse. From what I’ve read the Chinese will not pose a threat like the soviet union in the cold war. They will use economic dominance and their politics to achieve their goals. Still there obviously will be some sort of tension between the two and the worst part of it is that China holds most of our currency, therefore the governments debt.
We all need to look at China and think why they are becoming so successful in the world economy. It is not only the face that they have 1 billion more people than we do, but everyone in that country is striving to make a better life for themselves. This idea of gaining power by working extremely hard is something that used to shape the core of American's values. When immigrants came here for the first time they had only their dreams and ambitions to get to where they want to be. Those same dreams and ambitions are what the Chinese are using to create the fastest growing economy in the world. While the U.S. is letting out economy slide deeper and deeper, the Chinese are continuing to work harder than ever to take our spot at the top. We need to look within ourselves to see why we are struggling to keep our economy afloat while the Chinese are building what will soon be the most powerful economy in the world.
hey guys. first im kinda happy that it seems this topic has gotten some heavy use among you. Back to the point at hand, China's rise in power seems to be two faced. Their government says one thing while they do another blatently. At espn.com recently, they posted a story about how easy it was in china to purchase Human growth hormone, a type of steroid, while China just says that there is nothing to worry about for the integrity. I also remember reading recently that China has just been kicking out people from homes(mostly homes for poor people) to make their city look cleaner. This is a country who we will be dealing with for a while so lets get used to it.
China is one place to me that is still a bit of a mystery. There are so many issues between the summer Olympics, its ever growing population, technological advances, and its shady human rights practices. I feel however a lot will be learned about what plans the Chinese government has for its nation in the future based on what happens at these upcoming Olympic games.
First and foremost it will be extremely interesting to see how the Chinese treat the media frenzy that will certainly surround these games. As of right now the nation has very little media freedom. For years Chinese media has been strictly censored in ways that are considered unthinkable to journalist in the united states. Will china keep their strict regulations in place there by stepping on the toes of other nations news outlets or will they take a softer stance so as to avoid conflict, only time will tell.
In an article titled "As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes" http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26china.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
From the New York Times, China's problem with pollution is explained. The intense and fast rise in economic power for China has caused severe pollution problems. Pollution created cancers are now China's leading cause of death. About 500 million people in China lack access to safe drinking water, 1% of the country's 560 million city dwellers breathe air that is considered safe by the European Union. They are frantically looking to clear their skies before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The economy in China has undergone a succession of double-digit growth rates causing irreversible damage on the environment "Our greatest achievement is also our biggest burden" China's problem has become the world’s problem. Acid rain falls in Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo. Also much of the particulate pollution over Los Angeles originates in China. China is taking initiatives to develop clean energy sources like solar and wind power but these initiatives have not proven successful. Much of the enforcement in China is often "tinged" with corruption. Many large manufacturers dump waste and pump smoke in the sky without hesitation. There are many people that believe that the United States and Europe are to blame for China's pollution because the products being produced that are creating the pollution are stocking the shelves of stores in the U.S. and Europe. Another problem in China is that leadership has banned publication of data on pollution because they fear it will cause social unrest so by doing this they are just blinding their people of the irreversible damage on their health and their environment. -Alison Burke
China already is being seen as a threat because of the way they are building up there military. Therefore the U.S. department of defense thinks that if things keep going the way they are that china could become a threat. There military is growing both in number of people and their quantity or materials, such as missiles. They already obtain fifty-seven missiles that can reach cities in the United States. Another reason in which china can be seen as a threat is what chinese general Chenghu said," Referring to a possible U.S.-China clash over Taiwan, Zhu said in English: "if the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition on to...China's territory, I think we will have to respond with nuclear weapons."and he also said,"the Americans will have to be prepared that hundreds of [their] cities will be destroyed by the Chinese."
Before the industrial revolution, China was arguably the most powerful nation on earth. China's markets functioned just as well, if not better, then Europes. Unfortunatly for itself, China decided to look inward instead of focusing on trade. China however is on the rise. Many American companies have decided to move their opperations too China because of the cheap wages. Right now most of the jobs that are being outsourced to China are basic manual labor jobs. The people in China however are becoming better educated, and soon the jobs that are going to be going to China will be high end technical jobs. Currently China's economy is around one fifth of the United States, but China is progressing at an alarming rate. While the United States economy is growing slowly, the Chinese economy is leaping foward. Chinese cities used to be known for the massive crowds of bike riders that you would see on the streets. This is all changing. The chinese are begining to purchase a massive amount of cars. Since the chinese are getting cars, they will need gasoline. The problem is that there simply is not enough gasoline to go around. The wars of the next century will be faught over gasoline. While increasing its economy at an alarming rate, China is compleatly neglecting its enviornment. Cities in china are among the most poluted in the world. Chinese cities are remenicent early industrial cities in the US and England.
I believe that China is obviously emerging as a global superpower. As China continues to grow, I don't think we should look at them as a threat, but as an opportunity. The US and China have many business ties and the number will continue to expand. With all the money coming into China from US companies, its no wonder China grows so fast. Along with China's rapid expansion, comes the increase in pollution and oil consumption. I have family in Shenzen, China in the south and the air quality is really really bad down there. Cars are literally all over the place and every breath feels like your breathing straight car exhaust. Although I believe that we should avoid any hostilities with China, I do believe that we should watch them with caution. China's military is huge and if left unchecked, then there could be some serious problems. China, this summer at the olympics, has a great opportunity to impress the world with its magnificent developed cities and rising economy.
I found this article http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/asian.superpower/us.v.china/
I think it gives a good summary of notable issues/actions that should make us wary of China and their obvious status as a significant world power. Some key issues from the article are:
-Allegations that China long been suspected of stealing U.S. nuclear secrets. -America's blockage of China entering the WTO -America's support of Taiwan (an enemy of China) -Regular U.S. activism against human rights violations in China -U.S allegations that China has sold nuclear and missile information to Pakistan
I think that the bottom line here is that yes China is a superpower on a number of levels. I also think that great opportunity lies with being able to establish good relations particularly in trading. However, as I listed before there are a number of long standing issues that must first be addressed.
I know the question here is mainly about China as a threat to the US, but I have already commented on this and would like to open it further by bringing up the topic of Taiwan. During the Communist takeover of China, many nationalists, including Chiang Kai Chek, migrated to Taiwan to escape. As a result, the majority of the current population of Taiwan is Mandarin-speaking and of Chinese background. After Mao took over in China, the US took the position of looking at Taiwan as part of the PRC. In 1979 President Carter passed the Taiwan Relations Act, recognizing Taiwan as its own separate entity, bringing an end to the peaceful period of Detante that Nixon had achieved with the PRC and the USSR. Carter was known for doing a lot of dumb things in office, and this is considered one of them. I suppose he was just trying to do the right thing by recognizing Taiwan as sovereign because it would otherwise be under the control of Communist China, but in light of the political situation, it was a stupid move. The US had been on good terms with the Communists and this made them angry, leading to more years of worrying about Soviet attacks. Keeping this in mind, what do you think the US and world policy towards Taiwan should be in light of the growing threat of China?
China is a country full of myth and tradition. The nation was long been dominated by the socialism and communism and used to be called a bamboo curtain. After perestroika and glasnost just as in Russian, China began to get enlightened and seemingly joined the global flow both in politics and economy. China is going to hold 2008 World Olympic, which will definitely give the nation another take-off and will make great stride in all facets. The advent of new China is around corner. China will never be under the control of the US or other EU. Rather, this will lead another age of global village and will take over the current position of the US soon. The US is now inundated with China brands, irrespective of their performances and qualities. In recent, their side-effects began to come up to people not only in the US, but also in other many countries as well. It is certain that China is the great country, which will make a great contribution to the world peace. However, we all were so negligent cultivate the global culture and spirit for them. We should share positive ideology and spirit with all the nation, including China. And we all should be prepared to warn them of negative influence. Authentic globalizatioln should be based on cosmopolitanism, not just on imperialism and ethnocentrism.
While China may wish to assert itself militarily and become a superpower, it cannot challenge the position of the U.S. The U.S. holds economic leverage over China because of the significant amount of trade between the countries. The Chinese economy needs access to American markets and cannot do anything that might antagonize the U.S. too much. Example-A Chinese invasion of Taiwan could lead to an American embargo that would devastate the economy.
Also, smart U.S. policy makers have forced China to purchase U.S. treasury bonds. These bonds make China interested in the U.S. being successful and also make the Chinese government dependent upon the U.S. for interest payments. This makes China less likely to challenge the United States because a conflict could cause the bonds to depreciate or the U.S. to default, both which would have a huge impact on the Chinese government and economy.
My roommate is from Korea and when discussing China’s economic growth she noted the large increase in Korean students learning Chinese. In her most recent visit to Beijing she was impressed by newly renovated public restrooms due to China’s gearing up for the Olympics. An article in the Washington Post last week touches on Marriot’s increased presence in China. China’s economic growth has increased inbound tourism as well as travel amongst its own middle class making a greater demand for hotels. Marriot, a U.S.-based company, aware of this demand as well as the estimated 2 million visitors expected in the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, will double its hotels in the Chinese capital to 11 by next year. In the next six years Marriot expansion throughout China’s largest cities will exceed 100 hotels.
Simple logic points out that more people = more consumption for China. This is not necessarily a bad thing. With the olympics coming up it shows that they are open to outside countries which from my understandings has been a difficulty in the past. I believe that the type of government that rules China is one that likes to keep things on the hush. However judging by the amount of business that this transacted between the U.S. and China it is hard to believe that the people of China would support any sort of attack on the U.S. As long as relations are kept civil I dont believe that China is an immeadiate threat.
To add to the topic of China, I see China as a threat. They are in fact a growing super power and with a population topping 1 billion, it foolish to think they can't creat the technology that we have already. With so many minds working together and lets not forget how their culture holds high expectations for scholarship that they can't in fact surpass us in technology one day. As far as the Taiwan issue to me its not really an issue I dont think they'll be able to obtain independence from China now or any time in the near furture.
China is definitely coming into its own as a major world power. While I wouldn't classify it as a superpower at the moment, China (along with India) is primed to become the world's next large mover and shaker policy wise. I welcome another world power because its really nice to see how far they've come globally in the past few years. A major step for them (which many others have mentioned) is their hosting of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games. If they can prove themselves as a great host, that will be a major step for them to becoming a superpower. As for war, any one we wage with China will be almost impossible to win unless we can have the backing of most of the world. With China's population of 1.3 billion, the United States total population comes to just 1/4th of that. When Joss Whedon made is futuristic television show, Firefly, there is a reason the main characters can interchangeably speak both English and Chinese and that is because they are among two of the world's most spoken languages. Soon, I see more public schools offering Basic Chinese as a language along with the traditional Spanish, German, and French due to how China will become a factor in world events in the future.
I also feel that China is on the rise economically. They are for the most part a largely industrial country now. This similar to how the US gained economic power in the early 1900's with lots of production coming from WWI and WWII with the exception of the Great Depression. The pattern I see is World Powers start out as producers and export often. Which brings money into the country to use for expansion. Later on the countries tend to shy away from production and become importers and focus on goods and services and other fields that usually require a more educated population. I feel china is at the beginning of this cycle and the US is starting to enter the end.
I think that we should always be worried about a country who is rising in power because they can become a threat to the United States. We should always consider China but realize in certain aspects that they to can help us. Foe example if they rise economically, we will fight to stay with them and improve our own standards with better advances. Although most things in the U.S are "made from china" we also must worry because alot of things are being recalled for China's lack of cleaner work ethics. In conclusion I feel that we must always try to understand what China wants to do or where their cultural or economical stand points are. We can never be to sure someone isn't going to target the U.S especially due to our popularity.
We should worry about China becoming a super power in some aspects but we should also embrace it. Does the United States not want developing countries to expand economically? China has done just that. China developing economically to become a superpower is beneficial not just to the U.S but to the entire world. However,the U.S should be concerned with China's military buildup. With China spending an exhorbitant amount of money on increasing their military power, they could definetely challenge the U.S military.
china is a country coming out of a state of international isolation. it obviously has an enormous population and is very influential as a old member of the UN. however, the fact that they have taken the strides to come out of this socio-political estrangement shows the rest of the world that it is ready to take on a larger rold in the world, especially the act of holding the 2008 summer olympics. one of the things that might show the world as a whole that china is not ready to deal on the world stage as a superpower is its treatment of taiwan. however, even that isnt necessarily a show of general resentment towards taiwan but a failure to aknowledge taiwan as a separate entity. -mack shane
I think that there is cause for concern about China becoming a world power, and how rapidly it is becoming. The population continues to grow, and without any real way to control themselves. China's plans for economic growth are aimed at doubling, even quadrupling the size of their economy. I believe that though China does have its right to expand their economy they must also consider the consequences of having such a large population and all that goes with it.
I think a country that has over a billion people in it, does not agree with U.S. policies, and has a large and increasing weight in the world economy is something the U.S. should be worried about. China has so many people, and labor is so affordable that many countries (including the U.S.) outsource many unskilled labor jobs there to make products much cheaper then abroad. By doing that those buisnesses are pumping millions of dollars into Chinas econmy which is allowing China and its government to expand more and more, and the cycle goes on. All i can think of when i think China is all the products that say "made in China" when you walk into any Walmart store in the U.S. Its almost scary how much there economy is producing and that stake will only get larger and more competitive with the United States as it does so. They are definatly on the path to becoming a new world power. By Brendon Butler
I couldn't agree more. I believe that china is a "sleeping giant" if you will in our current world. China is constantly growing in population and has an economy that seems to be growing stronger by the minute. With thousands of American companies and countless other companies throughout the world outsourcing their labor to China for cheaper costs, we are simply adding fuel to china's fire.
Matt, no, I don't think China should be worried about. They are tasting wealth, unlike Russia ever did, and I think that having a good time does not encourage anything we should be worried about. China does bring tension to certain places on the map, but I think they are more interested in economic expantion that political expantion. The US and China are tied together in terms of trade and American culture, in terms of consumption, is growing in China. My only concern is their tie to Russia. As I understand it, Russia and China are close allies and make the big political decisions together. The Russian government is trying to get its old power back and, if you look into it, have done some shady stuff. For example, the gov pushed out all private oil companies and now all the money is going right into the gov's pockets. So, I'll be interested to see how China's economic dies to the US and political ties to Russia pan out. Stephane Stewart
I agree with Stephanie's thoughts on Russia as well. Honestly, I think that nearly any country can be a consideration today. I haven't read a lot since I last posted and there's way too much for me to read now, so for all I know someone has said the same thing I'm saying now..however, I think you can't ignore any country that has the right potential. There is some comfort depending on the leaders of the country, but even so, really anything is possible with today's world. Tying in with globalization, many political and military outlooks could easily begin to spread around the world as cultures change more and more. Also, while it may be no easy task to accomplish, illegal arms production and smuggling are definetely a presence and issue to be worried about. I feel as if it's easy for any country with the right motivations and money to get what they want and to do what they want, which is why I think we can't be worried about just one country (such as China) anymore.
I agree...both Russia and China have the right components to expand and become even more important players in globalization. Each have size, large populations that continue to grow, and established political and economic prowess. You don't seem to hear as much about Russia in the news but lately China has drawn much attention particularly with the 2008 Beijing Olympics. I think China and particularly Beijing offers the perfect setting for the olympic games and gives this massive country a chance to finally show the world its progress and potential.
46 comments:
hey everyone, i asked sarah to start this blog mostly because china out of no where has become this huge power with millions of people in their country. Im not going to pretend to be an expert about how they have become so political influential all of a sudden, but i know that they are rapidly expanding. One issue that I do know is China is going to have a huge oil consumption as more and more people buy cars there as well. I also know that with the olympics coming, they will get the world stage to show their progress as a potential superpower in the coming years. To wrap up....is China someone we should be worried about?
First of all, I believe there are actually more than millions of people in China, there are more than 1.3 billion people the live in the republic of China making it the most populated Country in the world. There is also a lot going on there now like the upcoming Summer Olympics that was mentioned above. Also the whole deal that we discussed in class about Taiwan trying to become its own nation in the UN and to have itself separate from China. With these problem also going on I do not think China is something that we should be worried about because it seems as if they have some problems of their own that they need to take care of.
Robert O'Reilly
Well, I personally think that when we talk about any world power and whether or not we should be worried, the answer is always yes. As we talked about in class, with the entire Taiwan issue, what happens if the US backed Taiwan and a conflict began with China? I mean, they have the highest number of active troops in the world and the third highest number of total troops (thank you Wikipedia). I think that it is naive to consider any country that has enough power a complete non-threat, because you really never can tell what happens in today's day and age. While I should stress it's a longshot to think that we would ever get into a conflict with China, it is still a possibility that we must accept, the same as any other. As for China becoming just more of a world power overall, I would say that they are surpassing what we expected of them and are excelling in many different areas. For example, their economy has been continually on the rise so much for such a long time when compared to most other nations, their technology is becoming more and more advanced, and on top of that they just keep making more and more babies, so we know they will somehow find a way to keep expanding their influence around the globe. I would definetely say that we should worry about China somewhat, and at the least accept them as a world power that poses a threat to us and may easily surpass us one day.
I think that we should both worry about China potentially becoming a superpower but also embrace it. In an economic view, China is causing an up rise in economics causing competition and with competition causes better technological advances and products. But we must also recognize that there have been many recalls in Chinese merchandise, partly due to poor environmental practices. Also they are a communist regime with a strong military force that poses a threat to our nation. In conclusion I think we should be worried at a military stance but as an economic one no.
The Taiwan issue (from China's perspective) seems almost like a non-issue...being one of the 5 countries that make up teh UN Security Council, they basically have the ability to veto anything that tries to get passed in the UN...including the acceptance of Taiwan.
And as far as China being communist...they are hardly communist anymore, and any last strands of real communism that exist in the country are likely to fade away in the upcoming years, exemplified by the recent opening of Chinese stock markets.
-Nick Sarlo
Just to add to the ongoing topic of China here, I'd like to mention that last spring China demonstrated their ballistic technology by launching a missile and blowing up a satellite in orbit. Now there's all the debris from the satellite in orbit flying around like speeding bullets. Furthermore, China informed no one of such technology or the fact that they were actually going to test it. If they have the capabilities to take out a satellite in orbit then they can strategically do so against whomever they consider an enemy in a time of war. China's deviousness here leads me to wonder what else they are capable of and what other nations around the world need to be concerned about as they emerge as a new world power.
Jordan Naftzinger
I believe that within th next few hundred years china will become the next great global power. All great civilizations rise to the great world power and then fall. I feel that if and when the United States is no longer the greatest world power our role will be filled by china. With 798 million people in chinas work forces and countless natural resources to use china is one of the worlds greatest producers of good that are sent around the world and in particular to the United States. China also exports far more goods then they import which brings great wealth to their country. This also makes china the worlds largest economy. Alot of the United States debt is help by china which gives them a great steping stone to take over as the next great world power. I hope that the United States can step up and hold our role as the worlds great society and center for the modern world.
Drew Majerick
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/19/business/worldbusiness/19hoops.html?_r=2&ref=asia&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
This is an article that shows that China is not only growing in the corporate world, but also the sports' world. Basketball has been a growing phenomenon in China. Many top executives, including Timothy Chen of Microsoft, are pushing for China’s own branch of the NBA. The NBA views that moving into China will have positive results. I think it’s interesting that a huge company like Microsoft has such a passion for basketball and bringing the NBA to China. It seems like a lot of corporations are connected in some way. Chen is very respected in China, and by the way he was raised in Taiwan. I would have never thought that a businessman like Chen would be involved in sports like he is. Apparently basketball is a huge cultural aspect that China shares with the United States. I guess this gives a tiny bit of power (?) back to the US because after all it was invented and perfected here.
-Katie Dunn
This notion of whether or not China is a major power, sometimes referred to as super power, is an issue that has been discussed throughout this thread. I feel as though this idea needs to be addressed for clarity and consistency.
First, the sheer volume of people in the country alone makes them a force in all aspects of social, economical, and political controls. When 1/6 of the world is doing something, China, the rest of the world, the other 5/6 of the population, is taking notice. (Example: technology as we know it today) From an economic point, they own us financially accounting for the majority of our government debt and are a major force in the US trade deficit. If the Chinese currency was publicly traded, that would have more faith backing it then the US Dollar. Contrary to popular belief, China changing its fixed exchange rate is not the answer to our economic problems. Politically, they are still classified as a communist power much greater than any democratic nation. Collectively, democratic nations have control, but is that to say that Western powers have to unite in order to combat China?
I can't help but argue against the US as a superpower, or even the most dominant power, when China owns our country on more levels than one. Ignoring the war on terror, if China and the US started a war, China's troops alone would thwart our efforts in winning. To say that the US is the most dominant power is to ignore over 1 billion people calling us liars. Although, ignoring China is something that westerners have been doing for centuries. We should maintain a strong relationship with China in so that the US economy does not crash at the mere thought of China losing confidence in our abilities.
I just would like to comment on the idea that China is moving away from communism because of their stock markets or what not. Last semester I actually went to a conference where James Mann was speaking about his book "The China Fantasy: How Our Leaders Explain Away Chinese Repression". If anyone has the time to read the book, I did and I recommend it. It goes into the idea that although China is becoming a superpower and is becoming economically successful and what not, it still will remain to be a one-party system under the Chinese Communist Party. He says that even though our leaders are saying the Chinese are moving towards a government more like the United States, that this is actually far from the truth and they are only saying this to please the people. I agree with his ideas on this. Yes, China is becoming something economically that we could never have expected 100 years ago, but it must also be recognized that other things may not change. My problem is if they are having such success economically with the government they have now, why would they change that? I think that it is a fallacy that every country that becomes successful in one area automatically wants to change everything and become exactly like the United States (regarding their government). If China ever does become a full democracy, I don't think any of us will live to see that day.
-Kimberly Renner
China is definitely making its way onto the scene as a superpower; its economy is expanding incredibly rapidly. The same occurred for Japan after World War II, and today it is one of the world’s economic powerhouses -- second only to the United States. Several people have discussed the idea of China as a “threat.” Economically, I believe China is going to continue to grow at an advancing rate. However, as Marks touched on in his book The Origins of the Modern World, China is advancing so rapidly at the expense of ignoring its citizens. The rural poor have little to no voice in Chinese politics, a situation that could prove to be dangerous for the Chinese government. Moreover, China is also accepting many more capitalistic policies and has allowed for the privatization of several industries, a big step away from communism. Thus, it is difficult to tell what the nature of this new superpower China will be, for, currently, so many changes are occurring within its borders.
-Ashley Mortimer
Ashley & Kimberly:
Good thoughts about a rising China in the international system. I think that you're both correct regarding the disconnect between the government and its people. Kimberly, it's quite amazing that China can emerge as a capitalist powerhouse on the one hand, yet remain a one party authoritarian state on the other. This defies what many scholars think about capitalism and democracy. Most argue that one flows to the next; however with China we are seeing that that rule is not a law of nature.
I believe that we should be concerned as to the development of China. With a steadily increasing population, we will begin to see the Chinese taking over more jobs and businesses. China was once America's major clothing consumers. But today, China is developing its own brands and lines that will be sold to American stores, putting the Chinese in the drivers seat. While a shift in marketing and economics is evident in the upcoming years, I believe that China should first look inward before expanding anymore. China is choking on its own success. The economy is doing great, but the growth derives from an expansion of heavy industry and urbanization that requires colossal inputs of energy, almost all from coal. If China doesn't watch out, they will crumble before they can rise.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7693580/site/newsweek/page/2/
According to this article, China is definitely the new global power to be worried about and its rise to power is no longer questionable. China is a global power for the United States to be concerned with. China “has the world's largest army (2.5 million men) and the fourth largest defense budget, which is rising by more than 10 percent annually.” China’s growth does benefit the United States in some aspects because by buying U.S. treasury bills, China allows the U.S. to keep buying and spending its money, which ultimately keeps the world economy going [and putting us further into debt]. The U.S. definitely is relying on China too much. The article discusses great-power conflict and states that “when the world's leading power is challenged by a rising one, the two have a difficult relationship.” Therefore, just because nothing is said in the open, both the U.S. and China know that conflict could be possible in the future. Thus, I think that China is indeed a nation to be worried about both economically and in regards to the military.
-Erin Donahue
I think there have been some very interesting comments made about this whole issue here. When it comes to China, I'm not really sure which way the tides will turn. I am leaning toward the idea that China, while economically powerful because of it's manufactured products, is not a major threat to the US in terms of global dominance, which I think is what people are worrying about. I was actually in China last Winter Session. I speak conversational Chinese, so it made the experience more authentic. What I noticed the most throughout my trip was the ignorance of the people about their own country, and also that most of them wanted to leave it for the US. Our TA Vivian, who is a PhD student at Beijing Normal University did not know what happened on Tiananmen Square in 1989. I found out that practically none of the people did, and I got the feeling the government would have been pretty ticked off if they realized American students were coming in and actually revealing the truth to their people. Also, the prison system is still so messed up, and people are so scared to step out of line. There is massive poverty throughout the country, despite the country being so economically powerful. The pollution is horrible; Beijing is the most polluted country in the world, and the people walk around with masks over their faces to filter out the filth in the air (you can see the black spots over their mouths and noses). All in all, I think China has a lot to worry about domestically, and I think that may affect the way they interact globally.
I think we as a nation should be worried about China. Over one billion people live in the country, and they have a strong, growing economy. We currently have to deal with China undervaluing its currency to boost exports resulting in U.S. consumers buying low-cost Chinese goods, leading to a severe trade imbalance. China's exports to the United States have grown exponentially from 2001 to 2007, nearly tripling.
Whenver you are the top dog, you always have to worry about the next big thing coming and taking your place. China is clearly on the rise; Chinese is the language to learn right now simply becuase of how much business is and will be happening in China. I'd say China is definatley a threat to the United States.
A question I have for those interested in the rise of China: Is it in the interest of the United States to try and revitalize itself, to keep our position as the greatest superpower in the world? Or is it "fate", that our nation should sink into decay and be eclipsed by China?
As for my own personal opinion, I feel that it /is/ possible for the United states to rise up again, but drastic measures will have to be taken, economically-speaking especially. Any thoughts?
-Luke Kaczmarek
Perhaps the most disconcerting factor of China’s explosive economic growth in the past two decades is the byproduct that comes along with it; pollution. China’s massive industrial boom is taking an irreversible toll on the environment. Cancer has become the leading cause of death in China. Foul air and water contribute to rising healthcare costs and overall degradation of the quality of life for China’s population. Coal, mined throughout China, is the most prevalent source of fuel for industrial players. Scientists predict that by 2010, China will surpass the U.S. as the worlds leading producer of greenhouse gasses. Everyone is worried about China “owning the world” one day, but a legitimate and tangible concern is the scar it is producing on the earth. It will never be able to grow into a superpower without cleaning up its act. How can a society thrive on toxic air and putrid water? And it’s not like its only China’s problem. Pollution in the form of acid rain is carried to neighbors such as South Korea. If China doesn’t start cleaning up its act, it’s going to have to deal with serious implications both from within and from outside.
John Dalo
China as a world power.
China has undoubtedly emerged as a world power in record fashion and there economy has been rising faster than any other country as of late. A great example of China’s progress is Pudong in Shenghai. 15 years ago Pudong was completely undeveloped. Now as Shenghai’s financial district it is 8 times London’s financial district and is just a bit smaller than Chicago. Their economy has been growing around 9 percent for 25 years now and that’s the fastest growth to date in history. To me, that truly shows that China is an up and coming world power. They completely dominate the low cost manufacturing in which Wal-Mart imported $18 billion worth of goods from China. On another note, I also agree with others who feel that China becoming a dominant force in the world is going to cause a serious power conflict. And it just so happens that China poses the biggest threat to the U.S. which will most likely cause tension because it is the powerhouse versus the up and coming powerhouse. From what I’ve read the Chinese will not pose a threat like the soviet union in the cold war. They will use economic dominance and their politics to achieve their goals. Still there obviously will be some sort of tension between the two and the worst part of it is that China holds most of our currency, therefore the governments debt.
- James Squillante
We all need to look at China and think why they are becoming so successful in the world economy. It is not only the face that they have 1 billion more people than we do, but everyone in that country is striving to make a better life for themselves. This idea of gaining power by working extremely hard is something that used to shape the core of American's values. When immigrants came here for the first time they had only their dreams and ambitions to get to where they want to be. Those same dreams and ambitions are what the Chinese are using to create the fastest growing economy in the world. While the U.S. is letting out economy slide deeper and deeper, the Chinese are continuing to work harder than ever to take our spot at the top. We need to look within ourselves to see why we are struggling to keep our economy afloat while the Chinese are building what will soon be the most powerful economy in the world.
-Ryan Pierce
hey guys. first im kinda happy that it seems this topic has gotten some heavy use among you. Back to the point at hand, China's rise in power seems to be two faced. Their government says one thing while they do another blatently. At espn.com recently, they posted a story about how easy it was in china to purchase Human growth hormone, a type of steroid, while China just says that there is nothing to worry about for the integrity. I also remember reading recently that China has just been kicking out people from homes(mostly homes for poor people) to make their city look cleaner. This is a country who we will be dealing with for a while so lets get used to it.
China is one place to me that is still a bit of a mystery. There are so many issues between the summer Olympics, its ever growing population, technological advances, and its shady human rights practices. I feel however a lot will be learned about what plans the Chinese government has for its nation in the future based on what happens at these upcoming Olympic games.
First and foremost it will be extremely interesting to see how the Chinese treat the media frenzy that will certainly surround these games. As of right now the nation has very little media freedom. For years Chinese media has been strictly censored in ways that are considered unthinkable to journalist in the united states. Will china keep their strict regulations in place there by stepping on the toes of other nations news outlets or will they take a softer stance so as to avoid conflict, only time will tell.
-Dan Shainker
In an article titled "As China Roars, Pollution Reaches Deadly Extremes"
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/world/asia/26china.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
From the New York Times, China's problem with pollution is explained. The intense and fast rise in economic power for China has caused severe pollution problems. Pollution created cancers are now China's leading cause of death. About 500 million people in China lack access to safe drinking water, 1% of the country's 560 million city dwellers breathe air that is considered safe by the European Union. They are frantically looking to clear their skies before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The economy in China has undergone a succession of double-digit growth rates causing irreversible damage on the environment "Our greatest achievement is also our biggest burden" China's problem has become the world’s problem. Acid rain falls in Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo. Also much of the particulate pollution over Los Angeles originates in China. China is taking initiatives to develop clean energy sources like solar and wind power but these initiatives have not proven successful. Much of the enforcement in China is often "tinged" with corruption. Many large manufacturers dump waste and pump smoke in the sky without hesitation. There are many people that believe that the United States and Europe are to blame for China's pollution because the products being produced that are creating the pollution are stocking the shelves of stores in the U.S. and Europe. Another problem in China is that leadership has banned publication of data on pollution because they fear it will cause social unrest so by doing this they are just blinding their people of the irreversible damage on their health and their environment.
-Alison Burke
China already is being seen as a threat because of the way they are building up there military. Therefore the U.S. department of defense thinks that if things keep going the way they are that china could become a threat. There military is growing both in number of people and their quantity or materials, such as missiles. They already obtain fifty-seven missiles that can reach cities in the United States. Another reason in which china can be seen as a threat is what chinese general Chenghu said," Referring to a possible U.S.-China clash over Taiwan, Zhu said in English: "if the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition on to...China's territory, I think we will have to respond with nuclear weapons."and he also said,"the Americans will have to be prepared that hundreds of [their] cities will be destroyed by the Chinese."
Kristin Iorii
Before the industrial revolution, China was arguably the most powerful nation on earth. China's markets functioned just as well, if not better, then Europes. Unfortunatly for itself, China decided to look inward instead of focusing on trade. China however is on the rise. Many American companies have decided to move their opperations too China because of the cheap wages. Right now most of the jobs that are being outsourced to China are basic manual labor jobs. The people in China however are becoming better educated, and soon the jobs that are going to be going to China will be high end technical jobs. Currently China's economy is around one fifth of the United States, but China is progressing at an alarming rate. While the United States economy is growing slowly, the Chinese economy is leaping foward. Chinese cities used to be known for the massive crowds of bike riders that you would see on the streets. This is all changing. The chinese are begining to purchase a massive amount of cars. Since the chinese are getting cars, they will need gasoline. The problem is that there simply is not enough gasoline to go around. The wars of the next century will be faught over gasoline.
While increasing its economy at an alarming rate, China is compleatly neglecting its enviornment. Cities in china are among the most poluted in the world. Chinese cities are remenicent early industrial cities in the US and England.
-Ryan Davenport
I believe that China is obviously emerging as a global superpower. As China continues to grow, I don't think we should look at them as a threat, but as an opportunity. The US and China have many business ties and the number will continue to expand. With all the money coming into China from US companies, its no wonder China grows so fast. Along with China's rapid expansion, comes the increase in pollution and oil consumption. I have family in Shenzen, China in the south and the air quality is really really bad down there. Cars are literally all over the place and every breath feels like your breathing straight car exhaust. Although I believe that we should avoid any hostilities with China, I do believe that we should watch them with caution. China's military is huge and if left unchecked, then there could be some serious problems. China, this summer at the olympics, has a great opportunity to impress the world with its magnificent developed cities and rising economy.
-Chun (Ben) Choi
I found this article http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/asian.superpower/us.v.china/
I think it gives a good summary of notable issues/actions that should make us wary of China and their obvious status as a significant world power. Some key issues from the article are:
-Allegations that China long been suspected of stealing U.S. nuclear secrets.
-America's blockage of China entering the WTO
-America's support of Taiwan (an enemy of China)
-Regular U.S. activism against human rights violations in China
-U.S allegations that China has sold nuclear and missile information to Pakistan
I think that the bottom line here is that yes China is a superpower on a number of levels. I also think that great opportunity lies with being able to establish good relations particularly in trading. However, as I listed before there are a number of long standing issues that must first be addressed.
-Mike Werch
I know the question here is mainly about China as a threat to the US, but I have already commented on this and would like to open it further by bringing up the topic of Taiwan. During the Communist takeover of China, many nationalists, including Chiang Kai Chek, migrated to Taiwan to escape. As a result, the majority of the current population of Taiwan is Mandarin-speaking and of Chinese background. After Mao took over in China, the US took the position of looking at Taiwan as part of the PRC. In 1979 President Carter passed the Taiwan Relations Act, recognizing Taiwan as its own separate entity, bringing an end to the peaceful period of Detante that Nixon had achieved with the PRC and the USSR. Carter was known for doing a lot of dumb things in office, and this is considered one of them. I suppose he was just trying to do the right thing by recognizing Taiwan as sovereign because it would otherwise be under the control of Communist China, but in light of the political situation, it was a stupid move. The US had been on good terms with the Communists and this made them angry, leading to more years of worrying about Soviet attacks. Keeping this in mind, what do you think the US and world policy towards Taiwan should be in light of the growing threat of China?
China is a country full of myth and tradition.
The nation was long been dominated by the socialism and communism and used to be called a bamboo curtain. After perestroika and glasnost just as in Russian, China began to get enlightened and seemingly joined the global flow both in politics and economy. China is going to hold 2008 World Olympic, which will definitely give the nation another take-off and will make great stride in all facets. The advent of new China is around corner. China will never be under the control of the US or other EU. Rather, this will lead another age of global village and will take over the current position of the US soon. The US is now inundated with China brands, irrespective of their performances and qualities. In recent, their side-effects began to come up to people not only in the US, but also in other many countries as well.
It is certain that China is the great country, which will make a great contribution to the world peace. However, we all were so negligent cultivate the global culture and spirit for them. We should share positive ideology and spirit with all the nation, including China. And we all should be prepared to warn them of negative influence. Authentic globalizatioln should be based on cosmopolitanism, not just on imperialism and ethnocentrism.
-Kim, Hyo Suk
While China may wish to assert itself militarily and become a superpower, it cannot challenge the position of the U.S. The U.S. holds economic leverage over China because of the significant amount of trade between the countries. The Chinese economy needs access to American markets and cannot do anything that might antagonize the U.S. too much. Example-A Chinese invasion of Taiwan could lead to an American embargo that would devastate the economy.
Also, smart U.S. policy makers have forced China to purchase U.S. treasury bonds. These bonds make China interested in the U.S. being successful and also make the Chinese government dependent upon the U.S. for interest payments. This makes China less likely to challenge the United States because a conflict could cause the bonds to depreciate or the U.S. to default, both which would have a huge impact on the Chinese government and economy.
My roommate is from Korea and when discussing China’s economic growth she noted the large increase in Korean students learning Chinese. In her most recent visit to Beijing she was impressed by newly renovated public restrooms due to China’s gearing up for the Olympics.
An article in the Washington Post last week touches on Marriot’s increased presence in China. China’s economic growth has increased inbound tourism as well as travel amongst its own middle class making a greater demand for hotels. Marriot, a U.S.-based company, aware of this demand as well as the estimated 2 million visitors expected in the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, will double its hotels in the Chinese capital to 11 by next year. In the next six years Marriot expansion throughout China’s largest cities will exceed 100 hotels.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/27/AR2007092700069.html
Francesca Carregal
Simple logic points out that more people = more consumption for China. This is not necessarily a bad thing. With the olympics coming up it shows that they are open to outside countries which from my understandings has been a difficulty in the past. I believe that the type of government that rules China is one that likes to keep things on the hush. However judging by the amount of business that this transacted between the U.S. and China it is hard to believe that the people of China would support any sort of attack on the U.S. As long as relations are kept civil I dont believe that China is an immeadiate threat.
---Ryan Shaw
To add to the topic of China, I see China as a threat. They are in fact a growing super power and with a population topping 1 billion, it foolish to think they can't creat the technology that we have already. With so many minds working together and lets not forget how their culture holds high expectations for scholarship that they can't in fact surpass us in technology one day. As far as the Taiwan issue to me its not really an issue I dont think they'll be able to obtain independence from China now or any time in the near furture.
Gregory Alen Ward Jr.
China is definitely coming into its own as a major world power. While I wouldn't classify it as a superpower at the moment, China (along with India) is primed to become the world's next large mover and shaker policy wise. I welcome another world power because its really nice to see how far they've come globally in the past few years. A major step for them (which many others have mentioned) is their hosting of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games. If they can prove themselves as a great host, that will be a major step for them to becoming a superpower. As for war, any one we wage with China will be almost impossible to win unless we can have the backing of most of the world. With China's population of 1.3 billion, the United States total population comes to just 1/4th of that. When Joss Whedon made is futuristic television show, Firefly, there is a reason the main characters can interchangeably speak both English and Chinese and that is because they are among two of the world's most spoken languages. Soon, I see more public schools offering Basic Chinese as a language along with the traditional Spanish, German, and French due to how China will become a factor in world events in the future.
I also feel that China is on the rise economically. They are for the most part a largely industrial country now. This similar to how the US gained economic power in the early 1900's with lots of production coming from WWI and WWII with the exception of the Great Depression. The pattern I see is World Powers start out as producers and export often. Which brings money into the country to use for expansion. Later on the countries tend to shy away from production and become importers and focus on goods and services and other fields that usually require a more educated population. I feel china is at the beginning of this cycle and the US is starting to enter the end.
-Ryan Wallace
I think that we should always be worried about a country who is rising in power because they can become a threat to the United States. We should always consider China but realize in certain aspects that they to can help us. Foe example if they rise economically, we will fight to stay with them and improve our own standards with better advances. Although most things in the U.S are "made from china" we also must worry because alot of things are being recalled for China's lack of cleaner work ethics. In conclusion I feel that we must always try to understand what China wants to do or where their cultural or economical stand points are. We can never be to sure someone isn't going to target the U.S especially due to our popularity.
-Kelley Thompson
We should worry about China becoming a super power in some aspects but we should also embrace it. Does the United States not want developing countries to expand economically? China has done just that. China developing economically to become a superpower is beneficial not just to the U.S but to the entire world. However,the U.S should be concerned with China's military buildup. With China spending an exhorbitant amount of money on increasing their military power, they could definetely challenge the U.S military.
Roopa Sabesan
china is a country coming out of a state of international isolation. it obviously has an enormous population and is very influential as a old member of the UN. however, the fact that they have taken the strides to come out of this socio-political estrangement shows the rest of the world that it is ready to take on a larger rold in the world, especially the act of holding the 2008 summer olympics. one of the things that might show the world as a whole that china is not ready to deal on the world stage as a superpower is its treatment of taiwan. however, even that isnt necessarily a show of general resentment towards taiwan but a failure to aknowledge taiwan as a separate entity.
-mack shane
I think that there is cause for concern about China becoming a world power, and how rapidly it is becoming. The population continues to grow, and without any real way to control themselves. China's plans for economic growth are aimed at doubling, even quadrupling the size of their economy. I believe that though China does have its right to expand their economy they must also consider the consequences of having such a large population and all that goes with it.
-Amanda McDonnell
I think a country that has over a billion people in it, does not agree with U.S. policies, and has a large and increasing weight in the world economy is something the U.S. should be worried about. China has so many people, and labor is so affordable that many countries (including the U.S.) outsource many unskilled labor jobs there to make products much cheaper then abroad. By doing that those buisnesses are pumping millions of dollars into Chinas econmy which is allowing China and its government to expand more and more, and the cycle goes on. All i can think of when i think China is all the products that say "made in China" when you walk into any Walmart store in the U.S. Its almost scary how much there economy is producing and that stake will only get larger and more competitive with the United States as it does so. They are definatly on the path to becoming a new world power.
By Brendon Butler
I couldn't agree more. I believe that china is a "sleeping giant" if you will in our current world. China is constantly growing in population and has an economy that seems to be growing stronger by the minute. With thousands of American companies and countless other companies throughout the world outsourcing their labor to China for cheaper costs, we are simply adding fuel to china's fire.
Matt, no, I don't think China should be worried about. They are tasting wealth, unlike Russia ever did, and I think that having a good time does not encourage anything we should be worried about. China does bring tension to certain places on the map, but I think they are more interested in economic expantion that political expantion. The US and China are tied together in terms of trade and American culture, in terms of consumption, is growing in China. My only concern is their tie to Russia. As I understand it, Russia and China are close allies and make the big political decisions together. The Russian government is trying to get its old power back and, if you look into it, have done some shady stuff. For example, the gov pushed out all private oil companies and now all the money is going right into the gov's pockets. So, I'll be interested to see how China's economic dies to the US and political ties to Russia pan out.
Stephane Stewart
I agree with Stephanie's thoughts on Russia as well. Honestly, I think that nearly any country can be a consideration today. I haven't read a lot since I last posted and there's way too much for me to read now, so for all I know someone has said the same thing I'm saying now..however, I think you can't ignore any country that has the right potential. There is some comfort depending on the leaders of the country, but even so, really anything is possible with today's world. Tying in with globalization, many political and military outlooks could easily begin to spread around the world as cultures change more and more. Also, while it may be no easy task to accomplish, illegal arms production and smuggling are definetely a presence and issue to be worried about. I feel as if it's easy for any country with the right motivations and money to get what they want and to do what they want, which is why I think we can't be worried about just one country (such as China) anymore.
I agree...both Russia and China have the right components to expand and become even more important players in globalization. Each have size, large populations that continue to grow, and established political and economic prowess. You don't seem to hear as much about Russia in the news but lately China has drawn much attention particularly with the 2008 Beijing Olympics. I think China and particularly Beijing offers the perfect setting for the olympic games and gives this massive country a chance to finally show the world its progress and potential.
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