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The Dawning of a New Political Future: The Rise of China

Sutoso

Our understanding of International Politics has been defined in the past several decades by the world powers. But in recent history the concept of world power evolved to that of superpower. Ever since that transition a select few states would be immensely wealthy, influential, and dictate its will upon a multitude of states. Its allies and client – nations all look to them for leadership, depend on them in many ways and accede to their judgment due to their economic, military and/or technological might.

What Makes a State a Superpower?

What makes a state a superpower? How does a country ascend to such a level of progression and development? What conditions need to be met or have to be present? Can a troubled and developing state ever attain that status of superpower? In the past during the passing of the Cold War we have seen the rise of two superpowers the United States and the U.S.S.R. which is today Russia. And their ascendance to that status was by very different means but froth with very similar circumstances. But since the end of the Cold War only the United States remained and became the sole superpower on earth at least for a while.

Can an impoverished, underdeveloped and politically traumatized state attain the status of superpower or let alone world power? Both international political and economic circumstances were generally conducive for China to become a superpower rivaling even the United States or any other power. In fact China now is said to possess “soft power”—its strategic vision and cultural cohesion, for example—for expanding Chinese influence in international affairs. The growth of Chinese power today is contingent on economic globalization, making its situation vastly different to the emergence of the Soviet Union whose development occurred separately from the industrialized world.

China’s Expanding Economy

Recently China became the foremost energy consumer in the world. This implies that China expanding economy and industry like any rapidly developing power before is ravenously in need of energy to power its every undertaking and process. Moreover it is a hallmark of rising powers that they usually, at some point, require substantive amounts of energy. This also implies that China is not yet able to generate that amount of energy by itself but in a short period of time will be able to do so. When it does it would become self sufficient and be worthy of being a superpower, but before that China has to deal with an unbalanced economic development, especially its energy‑intensive heavy industry and investment-led growth.  It  has aggravated income inequality, heightened trade tensions, and contributed to serious environmental problems.

For now China has all the opportunity to realize its goal of becoming a comprehensive global power capable of pursuing and defending national interests. For now it will be primarily focused on domestic challenges, such as economic and social development.

September 1, 2010 - Posted by Rus Welhelm Jedi | News, Ready | China, Cold War, International Politics, Superpowers, United States, USSR