The United States has become the great liberator of the modern world, bringing the western ideals of freedom and Democracy to many countries including South Korea, Japan, and Iraq. However, should this same policy also be extended to China? Or should the US pursue, as James Wooley calls it, a grand bargain where she subsides any desire for the Democratization of China in exchange for China not challenging the status quo in South-East Asia. I believe, that such a “grand bargain” would maybe not be ideal for the United States, as China would remain authoritarian and continue to act as a shirker or even better a supporter of the current world order (Pu and Schweller 2011), but either of which would be desirable. For, history has shown that the …show more content…
The current Status Quo is complete US political and military domination in the South-China Sea, United States dominated and dictated trade deals, and unipolarity of hegemonic power (Beckley 2011) All of which, if China desires to grow its power, must challenge. Political soft power and influence, I believe is a zero-sum game, it is hard to argue that two powerful nations can have the same level of influence in a third-party country. Currently, it is the United States that holds the lions-share of political soft power dominance and influence in the South China Sea, however as Chinese power grows it’s safe to assume they will desire to possess more friendly neighbors and work to shift regional loyalties from Washington to Beijing; a projection America will certainly combat. A big portion of this play to shift regional loyalties will be through trade and economic incentives. To do this China would have to challenge another status quo, American economic dominance in the South-China Sea. Something China is already attempting to do through the AIIB, RCEP, and FTAAP. These developments, in coalition with the failed TPP, and Filipino President remarks against the US and for China shows that Chinese economic and soft political power in the region is growing, whereas the United States is
For the last several decades China and Japan have both risen as superpowers and dominated the Pacific. Japan during the 1980s had the “economic miracle”, however it had a recession in the 1990s that set Japan back. As China becomes a rising superpower due to growing populations and cheap labor and, while Japan remains a “fragile superpower” because of the lack of resources and ageing population both nations will continue to grow, or will China become another fallen communist nation and will the tiger of the Pacific come to a roaring halt? Ever since the Four Humiliations in 1839 China was in desperate need to modernize and change many aspects of its government if it wanted to keep up with the ever-changing world.
As every day passes China grows stronger in every aspect and eventually they will be knocking on America’s doorstep in each of those categories. Economically, China is closing rapidly, but even the sleeping giant as Napoleon Bonaparte called it, has its limits. To be blunt, China is resource hungry and who knows what their country will do next. With the level of nationalism that their people have, China could go in multiple directions. For example, let us look at both China attempting to exert control over the South China Sea and also with the Senkaku Islands. Both of these areas are becoming more and more hostile, which ultimately could lead to deadly military engagements. With that being said, Blij also proposes an argument that I have been pondering for a while and that is a potential cold war between the U.S.A. and China. On the outside it seems as if there is a potential collision course to that conclusion. However, Blij does offer an interesting solution to this possibility and it is one that I believe should be the strongest takeaway. Blij suggests that trade, scientific, cultural and educational links and exchanges can be the solution to this issue. After all, China is responsible for many of the essential aspects to our life. Therefore, the least we as Americans can do is learn the various geographical aspects that encircle
The recent interactions of emerging and established states suggest that the existing standards of the current global economy are shifting. According to Stewart Patrick in his article “Irresponsible Stakeholders? The Difficulty of Integrating Rising Powers,” the United States must accommodate for emerging states within the global economy and refrain from enforcing their values of an open and liberal international economy in order to achieve effective cooperation. Similarly, Andrew Nathan and Andrew Scobell argue in their article “How China Sees America: The Sum of Beijingʻs Fears” that as China gains more influence within the global economy, the United States will have to respond appropriately to maintain its economic values. Both articles ultimately assert that
Well, according to constructionists, how a state acts is dependent upon its ideas, beliefs, and values. Based off of this it is safe to assume that the US and China will not both respond the same to the current political climate. With a good example of this cultural split being Roger Cohen's "Dog Days of China", which shows how even with the continuing homogenizing of the world there are still significant differences in cultures; especially between the East and West. So based off of this, if the US were to pursue cooperation, it wouldn't be illogical for China to pursue competition or vice versa. As well, going off the topic of the culture determining how a state acts, it's important to note one important part of China's culture; the century of humiliation. This century of humiliation, stirred by the two Opium Wars, in which has China suffered at the hands of the west, has been a defining motif for China's recent rise to power. Which is why they leave the ruins of Yuanmingyuan, the old imperial palaces destroyed by the West in the Second Opium War, as a constant reminder. Thus possibly being an indicator how China may see their rise at the cost of the US' fall as just retribution for past transgressions. As well, in constructionist thought international relations is also determined by the structure of interactions. And the current structure is that of a single polarity world brought about by the demise of another super power after a long period of staunch tension. So China's rise could be a precursor to this structure reproducing itself. With China becoming powerful enough to rival the US, resulting in a new Cold War type period starting, then after a time leaving only a single superpower left standing. Because of this and the fact that constructionist view states that actors are irrational, it may seem that even for a constructivist, China's rise cannot be seen as
Andrew Krepinevich, a defense policy analyst who currently serves as President for the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, wrote an article entitled, “How to Deter China, The Case for Archipelagic Defense”. We see in this article that global expansion is a complicated global issue, especially when you are dealing with a powerful and power-hungry nation, such as China, that is suspected of not being doing everything in the most ethical manner. It’s noted that China is hungry for power and desires to expand more and more. The article includes strategies that the United States may be able to implement in order to aid in Asian peace. For example, Krepinevich tells us that, with China in mind, the United States has begun to move
For example, in the aspect of China’s economy, the country is becoming more economically active with other countries. China currently holds 1.8 trillion in foreign exchange reserves; these foreign exchange reserves come from their exports. (Lotta 36) The United States alone receives the most goods from China as opposed to any other country. With China leading in its exports, the country’s current holdings have become a leverage in today’s world economy. The rapid development of capitalism in the country will pose a threat to the powers of the United States. Ultimately, this will bring about conflict among China and the United States; China’s rise will undermine the United States’ unipolar moment, and will give China the upper hand when it comes to international relations. Resulting from this, there would be conflict over the international rules and regulations. In short, as of 2008, China’s participation in world affairs has increased, thus, allowing their economy to flourish; as this happens, China will have an opportunity to shift the laws of international affairs in their favor, and this will lead to Western powers being unsatisfied. Therefore, tension among Western order and Chinese order will prevail.
China’s motive with the territory in the sea originates from the opportunity to establish military and naval compounds. The Chinese government hopes to “fortify its military foothold in the South China Sea…” (Jeff. M Smith) by making runways and other infrastructure that is beneficial to the military. Chinese militarism and naval power are continually growing as it is one of the strongest armed forces in the world. The idea of China having large control over the South China Sea produces fear among USA as it is traditionally the most dominant military force. Similarly, prior to World War One, Great Britain felt threaten by the rise of Germany’s military and naval power. In response, Great Britain produces large quantity of naval ships and
Before I lay out the benefits of the previously stated military initiatives the U.S. must utilize against China, I will first address what actions China has taken in the South China Sea that threatens the United States. On 20 January, 2014, it was reported by TIME that China’s military spending has tripled over a decade and that they are building a new aircraft carrier (Thompson). Currently, the only foreign navy
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has become more integrated and willing to cooperate within the global political and economic systems than ever in its history. However, there is growing apprehension in the Asia-Pacific region and the U.S. in regards to the consequences of rising in economic and military power in China. Descriptions about Chinese diplomacy in the policy and scholarly are less positive lately concerning China’s obedience to regional and international rules. There was little debate in the U.S. and elsewhere in regards to whether China was or was not part “the international community.” Scholars and experts in the early 1990s have contended
The United States and China have long had a complex relationship. The tension between the two powers is related to the communist regime in China. The United States and China have almost always been on opposing sides in a conflict such as the Korean War, the Tibetan uprise, or the race for nuclear weapons. However, just as the United States has grown in power, China has done the same. China is and always has been the most influential state in Asia. While it has been on the world stage for sometime, its economic and military power has been undermined by more pressing international events. As China’s rise becomes more apparent, many wonder what effects it will have on the global economy and whether it will lead to conflict between the United States and China. Through the exploration of realism, liberalism, and constructivism the consequences of China’s rise can be understood.
The rapid rise in economy of China has turned this country into rival of America. However, in an effort to change the trade policies of China, stop military operations reinforce Beijing 's South China Sea from America, but that’s not enough improve diplomatic relations with 11 countries in the TPP agreement. Beijing said the United States is a force only in Asia as they want, while China will forever be a force in Asia. As candid statement of the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong during his visit to Washington last August, the TPP will "challenge the prestige" of the United States with partners in the region. According to Mr. Li, each nation has faced some opposition political and sensitive issue in the country, pay a political price to get to the negotiating table and signed agreements but finally they cannot receive what they want. Now, United State diplomats do not have what they want in Asia, After the US told the regional partners was signed TPP will strengthen America 's leadership position in the region, the regional partner also concluded to be a waiver of TPP would undermine America 's leadership position and China is ready to be leadership position which vacated this area. In terms of the overall situation of power in Asia, the US withdrew from the TPP, that means United State is bringing the beneficial strategy for China, not only because a trade agreement supported by the United States, U.S foreign policies will be disappear forever
China is experiencing significant military and economic powers that could create a threat for its neighbors. Therefore, soft power is indeed an important tool that China is trying to invest in in order to improve its image and recover from its unpopular policies, and to
The Southern China Sea dispute is essentially a contest between China and Vietnam, Philippine, Malaysia and several other Southeast Asian nations over territorial control in the South China Sea, which includes some of the most strategically important maritime territory on earth. China claimed the sovereignty of territory by far the largest portion of territory - an area defined by the "nine-dash line" which stretches hundreds of miles south and east from its most southerly province of Hainan. China has backed its expansive claims with island-building and naval patrols. At the same time, the Philippines was seeking to develop the seabed hydrocarbon resources of Reed Bank in the South China Sea, an area under dispute with China. Should Manila put plan to action, Beijing is likely to dispatch enforcement vessels to disrupt such activities. Given the deteriorating bilateral relationship, tensions between the two countries are in danger of escalating to the point of brinkmanship. The disputes are further entrenched by rampant nationalism, as each claimant attaches symbolic value to the South China Sea islands that far exceeds their objective material wealth. The newly elected president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte has expressed a willingness to negotiate with China over the disputed islands which dramatizes the issue. That’s an about-face from the previous administration, which had taken a
The general consensus among scholars concludes that China is assertive (Chen, Pu & Johnston, 2014, 176). The assertive conduct of China can have an impact on the regional order and stability in South China Sea. The scholars have different views on the assertiveness of Chinese foreign policy (Chen et al., 2014, 176). The argument in favour of implementing assertive foreign policy affirms that China has good intentions regarding the South China Sea (Chen et al., 2014, 181). China is required to have an assertive conduct because a moderate approach would not bring regional stability (Fangyin, 2016, 877). The opposing argument on assertive foreign policy is concerned with the aggressive and provocative behaviour of China (Chen et al., 2014,
The general consensus among academics and experts in the field of politics concludes that China is assertive. The assertive conduct of China can have an impact on the regional order and stability in South China Sea. The academics and experts in politics have different perspective on the assertive behaviour of Chinese foreign policy. The argument in favour of implementing assertive foreign policies affirms that China has good intentions regarding the South China Sea. China is required to have an assertive behaviour to bring regional stability and solve the territorial disputes on the South China Sea. The opposing argument on assertive foreign policies displays concerns with the aggressive and provocative behaviour of China (Chen, Pu &