Sunday, May 29, 2011
RISING CHINA (WHAT DOES A RAPIDLY RISING CHINA HAVE TO OFFER THE WORLD-PEACE OR INSTABILITY?)
In the second quarter of 2010, China became the second largest economy in the world . It’s GDP by nominal value was $1.337 trillion bigger than that of Japan whose GDP by nominal value was $1.288 trillion. Japan had up until the second quarter of 2010 been the second largest economy. It was a time that the Chinese knew will come since It is only five years since China’s economy was half the size of Japan’s, a day which only highlighted a change which has been going on in the world for over four decades, a change brought about by a new force, which has taken the world by shock- “A RISING CHINA”. China has seen a rapid growth in all aspects of it’s nationhood which the world has never seen before. It is a rapid growth that has spanned for over three decades. China has a new found power that is fast making it a superpower. It’s rapid economic growth has also enabled it to grow it’s military capabilities as well it’s foreign influence rapidly. But what does China want to achieve with this new found power and what does it mean for the rest of the world. Before the advent of China, the direction and implementation of global policy was charted by one nation-The United States of America. The US still has the most powerful foreign policy and is still largely responsible for the direction of global policy but experts say China’s rise will challenge this dominance. Some experts even go as predicting that China could undermine and even overthrow the US as the world’s foreign policy power house. The US is seeing a gradual decline in it’s global influence although efforts by the Obama administration to stop this decline and rebuild the US’s influence appear to be paying off as he has succeeded in rebuilding and creating new alliances. The recent gradual decline in US influence made possible by the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has left the door open for China to step in and step up efforts to build it’s global influence and so far the Chinese appear to be doing so. But the manner in which it has been doing so has left many to wonder what exactly it’s motives and objectives are and to say that it’s foreign policy could create further global instability. While the US foreign policy has not been perfect, Experts agree that it has left the world in a much better shape and is responsible for global prosperity and the emergence of new powers. New powers such as China which is now really beginning to flex it’s muscles.
China has developed a foreign policy which is primarily based on soft power-the power to persuade and win hearts and mind. This soft power approach is primarily targeted at foreign governments in attempts to win over them and influence them. China foreign policy unlike that of the US has not been devoted to advancing any higher international ideological interests such as world communism or world democracy since the Cold War; that is, ideology appears to be secondary to advancing its national interest. China officially states it "unswervingly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace. The fundamental goals of this policy are to preserve China's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, create a favorable international environment for China's reform and opening up and modernization construction, maintain world peace and propel common development." But this has not been the case for Chinese foreign policy. China’s soft power strategy is based on using it’s deep pockets to get what it wants. The “unrestricted” nature of Beijing’s overseas loans and investments is attractive to foreign governments wanting swifter, more efficient, larger finances for their development problems than western lenders will offer. Most of these are undemocratic and authoritarian governments who due to the West’s stand on democracy and human rights cannot work with the West. In the aspect of maintaining world peace which China states as part of it’s foreign policy, many experts believe that China has failed as it’s policies of working with undemocratic or authoritarian governments most of whom undermine the rights of their people and threaten global stability as seriously disturbing and one that could lead to instability in the regions where these nations are found. It’s policy of national interest first means that it does not care if it deals with authoritarian or undemocratic governments as long as it’s national interests are met. While Chinese loans to these governments do come with some strings attached but not the kind that more established Western nations attach. China hasn't demonstrated much concern with reducing graft, increasing transparency, or improving conditions for private-sector firms; instead, it requires recipient countries, to varying degrees, to buy and hire from China. China has a very large and diverse National interest, from it’s hunger for more access to the world’s energy and mineral resources, it’s claims on territories and vital sea lanes around China, to it’s stance on Taiwan being part of China.
China’s foreign policy strength is fast growing but there is a lack of taking on international responsibilities in it’s foreign policy. This lack of international responsibilities experts say is as a result of a fear by China that taking on international responsibilities would entrap China and that would interfere with it’s development and rise as a Global power. China therefore places strongly it’s national interest ahead of all other things resulting in growing tensions with an ever growing list of countries. This is made worse by what many analyst have called a struggle between the military, civilian government and state owned companies to control China’s foreign policy. This new competition between the military, state-owned companies and across ministries to influence China’s foreign policy is as a result of an explosion of special interest has caused unease between China and it’s neighbors as well as within China itself. Tensions previously unnoticed by the outside world between the Peoples Liberation Army and civilian side of the government are becoming more visible. The island dispute is the latest instance of bodies other than the party's central leadership driving China's engagement with the outside world. The military is seen as the principal driving force for China’s claims of the seas around the country. This interference of China’s foreign policy has not gone well in the region as it has raised tensions and forced it’s neighbors as well the US which has a lot of allies in the region to counter China’s influence something which experts fear would lead to more tension and possibly confrontation.
As China continues it’s very rapid growth so will it’s global influence grow rapidly. But whether or not it will have any positive impact globally is left to be seen. So far China’s foreign policy has been fueled by special interest and without any attempt to meet globally challenges. While other nations like the US also consider their national interest in their foreign policy they also tackle global issues and try to and do implement policies of which the world has benefited a lot. This is not the case with China as it’s foreign policy is now clearly seen to be benefiting only one side-China. But for China to continue to grow rapidly it will have to begin to consider the world in it’s Foreign Policy.
China has developed a foreign policy which is primarily based on soft power-the power to persuade and win hearts and mind. This soft power approach is primarily targeted at foreign governments in attempts to win over them and influence them. China foreign policy unlike that of the US has not been devoted to advancing any higher international ideological interests such as world communism or world democracy since the Cold War; that is, ideology appears to be secondary to advancing its national interest. China officially states it "unswervingly pursues an independent foreign policy of peace. The fundamental goals of this policy are to preserve China's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, create a favorable international environment for China's reform and opening up and modernization construction, maintain world peace and propel common development." But this has not been the case for Chinese foreign policy. China’s soft power strategy is based on using it’s deep pockets to get what it wants. The “unrestricted” nature of Beijing’s overseas loans and investments is attractive to foreign governments wanting swifter, more efficient, larger finances for their development problems than western lenders will offer. Most of these are undemocratic and authoritarian governments who due to the West’s stand on democracy and human rights cannot work with the West. In the aspect of maintaining world peace which China states as part of it’s foreign policy, many experts believe that China has failed as it’s policies of working with undemocratic or authoritarian governments most of whom undermine the rights of their people and threaten global stability as seriously disturbing and one that could lead to instability in the regions where these nations are found. It’s policy of national interest first means that it does not care if it deals with authoritarian or undemocratic governments as long as it’s national interests are met. While Chinese loans to these governments do come with some strings attached but not the kind that more established Western nations attach. China hasn't demonstrated much concern with reducing graft, increasing transparency, or improving conditions for private-sector firms; instead, it requires recipient countries, to varying degrees, to buy and hire from China. China has a very large and diverse National interest, from it’s hunger for more access to the world’s energy and mineral resources, it’s claims on territories and vital sea lanes around China, to it’s stance on Taiwan being part of China.
China’s foreign policy strength is fast growing but there is a lack of taking on international responsibilities in it’s foreign policy. This lack of international responsibilities experts say is as a result of a fear by China that taking on international responsibilities would entrap China and that would interfere with it’s development and rise as a Global power. China therefore places strongly it’s national interest ahead of all other things resulting in growing tensions with an ever growing list of countries. This is made worse by what many analyst have called a struggle between the military, civilian government and state owned companies to control China’s foreign policy. This new competition between the military, state-owned companies and across ministries to influence China’s foreign policy is as a result of an explosion of special interest has caused unease between China and it’s neighbors as well as within China itself. Tensions previously unnoticed by the outside world between the Peoples Liberation Army and civilian side of the government are becoming more visible. The island dispute is the latest instance of bodies other than the party's central leadership driving China's engagement with the outside world. The military is seen as the principal driving force for China’s claims of the seas around the country. This interference of China’s foreign policy has not gone well in the region as it has raised tensions and forced it’s neighbors as well the US which has a lot of allies in the region to counter China’s influence something which experts fear would lead to more tension and possibly confrontation.
As China continues it’s very rapid growth so will it’s global influence grow rapidly. But whether or not it will have any positive impact globally is left to be seen. So far China’s foreign policy has been fueled by special interest and without any attempt to meet globally challenges. While other nations like the US also consider their national interest in their foreign policy they also tackle global issues and try to and do implement policies of which the world has benefited a lot. This is not the case with China as it’s foreign policy is now clearly seen to be benefiting only one side-China. But for China to continue to grow rapidly it will have to begin to consider the world in it’s Foreign Policy.
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