Do you think China is becoming too powerful?

[Dann]

Why can't we have lots of small nations, lacking the power to act without international support, and thus existing peacefully?

A noble idea that has been tried out in many places. Ancient Sumeria. Classical Greece. China during the Spring and Autumn era.

Didn't work out. The little states formed alliances against each other. Then the strong ate up the weak. In the end somebody had to come along and merge everything into an empire. Sargon. Alexander. Qin Shih Huang.

Urbanized and politicized man has a tendency to form ever larger political units. Like rain droplets merging on your window sill as more of them drop from the sky.

 

[Dann]

Chinese brand names off the top of my head: IBM, MG-Rover .

Independence is power. Depending on overseas energy sources is a weakness.

You have a point.

But what if you're not really dependent, but just want (and have the capability) to exhaust the other guy's supply first? Now that's power.

 

[stormbind]

A noble idea that has been tried out in many places. Ancient Sumeria. Classical Greece. China during the Spring and Autumn era.

Didn't work out. The little states formed alliances against each other. Then the strong ate up the weak. In the end somebody had to come along and merge everything into an empire. Sargon. Alexander. Qin Shih Huang.

Urbanized and politicized man has a tendency to form ever larger political units. Like rain droplets merging on your window sill as more of them drop from the sky.

But we now have instant communications, and mega-forums like the UN. We could impose sanctions on any entity over a certain size

 

[Whomp]

Just because China becomes strong, doesn’t mean the United States has to become weak.
One reason that Chinese goods have made such inroads in the United States is the result of the influence of large retailers, particularly Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart accounts for more than 10 percent of U.S. imports from China, and is by itself a larger importer of made-in-China products than Canada, the UK, or France. I believe Wal Mart by itself makes them the 6th largest trading partner, behind Germany, China has. To me this is co-dependency.

My view is there would be no possible way the US could keep inflation, interest rates down with rising oil prices. Hence the real estate boom, without cheap products from China this does not occur in the US.

There are some many other areas to discuss like the recent remilitarization of Japan, Darfur, human rights, impact on Australia/NZ and to me a very interesting demographic of a larger percentage of young men vs. women in China. Men with more wealth could lead to aggressive internal issues the Chinese government will have to contend with.

 

[10Seven]

The Spratlys?

Things are pretty quiet here. Almost no news on it for years.

China and the other 5 claimants are talking about it but that's about it.

How nice - but it doesn't seem to have 'brought the soldiers home' - are we suddenly to assume, and, as some would wish, ignore history, even as recent as less than a decade, and pretend that China's government is safe, assured, and no threat to it's neighbours?

History, etc, would say the same of the USA, though, according to my impression, it could be said that China, since revolution, has embarked on as many military adventures and bully brigades as the USA since it's inception farther back...

 

[10Seven]

Every sane person with proper education should understand the rapidly growing economy offers the west opportunities, rather than jeapardies.

That's all there is to say folks!

Warfare and economics go hand in hand.

But I would suggest it offers both opportunities and jeopardies...

 

[Civlord]

There has always been a fight for interests in the World Diplomacy. Even with the UN, The USA will do everything to avoid China to become too powerful, or they will try to make alliances with the local countries (by improving relations with Vietnam, like they are already doing after years of bad relationship). There may be some parallel between China and the US and Germany with Europe in the XIX Century. I hope that the US and China keep the peace and stability with a diplomatic equilibrium.

Perhaps with a competent diplomatic policy, disputes will be avoided and everybody is going to profit from the economic progress. However, if Uncle Sam or Mr. Mao try to fight over Taiwan or try to extend their influence over the other Asian countries then I am sure that things are going to be bad. China has an enormous human potential, as well as a rich economy. They are now trying to extend their political power, now that their economic power is strong and growing. The US are not alone as a world superpower anymore.

It all depends about diplomacy. Diplomacy is what decides if you are going to die in a war or make money with agreements.

 

[Icmancin]

I believe that China is semi-Democratic. They have a good understanding of the term Republic. Although their leaders are not elected directly they elect local government which then elect Deputies for the National People Congress, which is the Legislature. It is still, however, heavily influenced by the Party: All candidates must be approved by the Party. There are strands of democracy but it is still a very strong Republic.

 

[Civlord]

A country cannot grow under the clouds of war.

Let me correct it. Superpowers always grow with the clouds of war.

The U.S. did.

The two World Wars were, in fact, the very thing that forced us Yankees to get off our butts and get rolling. Before, we were fairly prominent on the world stage (when we chose to be), but we were isolationists, and certainly not a Superpower.

When World War II started, we'd actually gone backwards; our economy was toast, and we had no military to speak of (remember the old saw about American soldiers training with sticks and using civilian trucks with the word "TANK" painted on the sides?)

A few years later, we were at the top of the pile.


To those who long for a multipolar world: I would remind you that for forty years, the world was exactly that. And the whole world was trying its darnest to put an end to it.

Those who don't learn from history are destined to repeat it. Those who DO learn from history....apparently ignore what they learned and repeat it anyway....

The US is a good example of a country that could favor itself with foreign wars. While Europe ruined itself with the Nazi madness, the americans with the Civilian trucks were improving their economy continuosly due to the rearming in the Second World War. When the War ended, the US economy was the richest in the world and only Russia could defy them. The europeans that once dominated the world were weak, destroyed and ruined. The US showed the world that a country can really become influent and later dominant while the others fight themselves. Superpowers and other countries are like wild animals. While the biggest fight to death, the others are only waiting for the moment when they can take the place of the former leaders, now severelly hurt and tired because of the giant fight.

 

[Marla_Singer]

I believe that China is semi-Democratic.

Chinese system is way too much corrupted to be called "semi-democratic". Obviously you don't realize how strong is the One-party in China. Every companies who build factories over there have to deal with the party... and knowing how widespread is corruption, I guess you can get an idea about what "to deal with" mean. I don't talk in here about the Chinese judiciary system which sucks more than anything else. The party is almight over justice too... and corruption is as much spread in that field than in the other field...

No, China is not even close of being semi-democratic.

 

[Marla_Singer]

The US is a good example of a country that could favor itself with foreign wars. While Europe ruined itself with the Nazi madness, the americans with the Civilizan trucks were improving their economy continuosly due to the rearming in the Second World War. When the War ended, the US economy was the richest in the world and only Russia could defy them. The europeans that once dominated the world were weak, destroyed and ruined. The US showed the world that a country can really become influent and later dominant while the others fight themselves. Superpowers and other countries are like wild animals. While the biggest fight to death, the others are only waiting for the moment where they can take the place of the former leaders, now severelly hurt and tired because of the giant fight.

Civlord speaks the truth.

 

[Princeps]

Dominant powers are rarely destroyed by a other power; they destroy themselfs.

 

[samildanach]

Civlord speaks the truth.

It is total B.S.

Rome had to fight. Britain had to fight. The U.S.A. had to fight.

You need to fight to get the there. And you need to fight to stay there.

 

[Elrohir]

I believe that China is semi-Democratic. They have a good understanding of the term Republic. Although their leaders are not elected directly they elect local government which then elect Deputies for the National People Congress, which is the Legislature. It is still, however, heavily influenced by the Party: All candidates must be approved by the Party. There are strands of democracy but it is still a very strong Republic.

Don't you mean "There are strands of democracy but it is still a very strong communist state"? Because China is most certainly not a Republic. Even "Strands of democracy" is pushing it.

 

[Xen]

china is semi-democratic you say?

show me the votes!

 

[Knight-Dragon]

How nice - but it doesn't seem to have 'brought the soldiers home' - are we suddenly to assume, and, as some would wish, ignore history, even as recent as less than a decade, and pretend that China's government is safe, assured, and no threat to it's neighbours?

We Asians who live in the neighbourhood don't feel much of an alarm. Many of us are even heading there to eke out a new life/business/vocation.

You are free to assume what you wish. <shrugs>

As for troops, Malaysia and Taiwan are the ones who actually have military bases on the islands. Are we then a threat to regional security?

History, etc, would say the same of the USA, though, according to my impression, it could be said that China, since revolution, has embarked on as many military adventures and bully brigades as the USA since it's inception farther back...

Less.

The USA's playing field stretches all the way from Europe to Asia, all over the world. And rightly so, as a superpower. China's is much more localized, and far less effective.

 

[Knight-Dragon]

Chinese system is way too much corrupted to be called "semi-democratic". Obviously you don't realize how strong is the One-party in China. Every companies who build factories over there have to deal with the party... and knowing how widespread is corruption, I guess you can get an idea about what "to deal with" mean. I don't talk in here about the Chinese judiciary system which sucks more than anything else. The party is almight over justice too... and corruption is as much spread in that field than in the other field...

No, China is not even close of being semi-democratic.

Companies in Japan have to 'deal' with the LDP-dominated govt too, once. And those in Taiwan with the KMT, once.

And those in India with the local bureaucracies, today.

Corruption is not a Chinese-specific issue, but an Asian-wide spectre. Only Singapore is truly corruption-free, more or less.

What's your point?

 

[Ramius75]

Since the early 1980s, the Chinese government has been quietly promoting, through the establishment of directly elected villager committees (cunmin weiyuanhui), what may be the world's largest grassroots democratic education process.

http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/public/0103/horsley.html

Of coz, its not always perfect. But then again, such problem also arise in the so called world greatest democracy.

A pioneering former deputy to a county-level People's Congress has urged China's top leaders and legal bodies to overturn an allegedly illegal election in which he lost his seat.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2004/03/09/2003101821

They are still learning.

Voting procedures were just one of a range of items election officials from China's National People's Congress and Ministry of Civil Affairs looked at when they observed election day in Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tenn., Nov. 2. The observers were hosted by The Carter Center.

http://www.cartercenter.org/doc1863.htm

Its slow, but she is getting there, maybe once the taiwan situation can be peacefully resolve, China and taiwan can work together, there might even have a chance for the KMT restablish itself in Mainland China once again.

 

[King Alexander]

Why do we bring this issue of "China is becoming too powerful", every now and then? Is anyone scared to death or chickens out? Do we constantly have to see an enemy everywhere? We're talking about a country that hasn't done anything to any of us, and is not willing to do, and we co-operate very well and buy products from them.

As I've already said, China is WEAK, comparing to it's size and work force(they have to get stronger and modernized).

And, please, don't constantly bring the issue of "Democracy": no place has TRUE Democracy, anyway, at least, with the form Democracy once was. We can only try to make it better, and fight to make it better.

 

[Knight-Dragon]

china is semi-democratic you say?

show me the votes!

Village headmen are elected.

But to classify China as democratic is still widely inaccurate.