POSC 220
Reaction to China Fragile Superpower

Everyday, the media and critics prophesize the ascending power of China to call of an end to the US hegemony and to become the next superpower of the world. China is reemerging as a major power almost after hundred and fifty years, after being toppled by the British Opium war( 1839-1842), followed by the loss to Japan in Sino Japanese war( 1894-1895). It was a “century of humiliation” to the proud people of China. The Chinese people are still carrying the burden of humiliation even though it is now an advanced country with a huge economy, almost surpassing the US. As it becomes more economically advanced, the government has doubled the military spending. Such action increases the insecurity of the neighboring countries, and furthermore its astonishing growth will conflict with the US hegemony.

However, the Chinese leaders deny that it is going to be a threat to other nations. According to them, “China wants to trade, and they are asking for an economic competition, not a military contest for power.” In fact, China has already started its role as a responsible superpower. It has joined the World Trade Organization, and the nation is spreading its sphere of influence by increasing diplomatic and business relations with overseas countries and companies. It shows that China is joining the law abiding nations, and opening its doors wider to foreign markets. This is a big step for China to seek international stability to relieve the people from poverty and domestic stress. Despite the economic boo, it is still a weak country with serious environmental problems and a population of more than 100 million people living below poverty line. According to the facts I got from the CIA government website, China GDP per capita is 5 times lower, and military spending is 6 times lower than the US. This fact proves that China may be an emerging power, but still it needs another decade to be an equal superpower with the US. It is irrational to predict a possible war between the two countries.

Misperceptions leads to wars; one country misinterpreting the other’s behavior can cause an enormous damage to international relations. It is important to make a careful hypothesis in order to prevent future conflicts and war from breaking out. China’s growing power may not be a big threat to the US, but the neighboring countries are suspicious of its ambitious imperialism. There is no guarantee that China’s growing market and economic competition will not lead the nation to seek for geopolitical contest around its neighboring countries. China is a country with the longest borders, with 14 countries excluding regional borders of Hong Kong and Macao. Those countries are strategically important border regions for the fragile superpower of China, which needs to find a solution for its excessive environmental pollution and improvement for the 100 million people living in poverty with no access to drinking water. China’s government is at the same time, very suspicious of their own people too. The government maintains the control over the people through public propaganda. They ignite people’s nationalism through euphemism, and always tell them that the communist party is necessary for China to stand against the foreigners. It will be hard for the government if its one billion people get angry. Regional imperialism is one way to improve Chinese domestic stress without having them rebel against the government. Shirk also wrote that the biggest insecurity of the Chinese leaders is not foreign threat, but a possible rebellion of the peasant and overthrow of the Communist Party.

History shows us that Chinese government has always been an expert on using its human resource and public propaganda for geopolitical domination. Manchuria is the latest but not last victim of China’s geopolitical domination. The people of Manchuria have dissolved in Chinese large population and completely vanished in terms of culture and heritage. Non Chinese minorities who are living in Urumqi, Xingjian, Tibet, Nepal and Inner Mongolia will be the next victims to be sucked into China. Furthermore, this Chinese ideological imperialism will threaten more of Asian developing countries. Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping has once said: “Hide our capacities and bide our time, but also get some things done.” The Chinese are getting it done silently from a regional to a world power.