Three decades ago the People’s Republic of China was an economic backwater. Today the PRC sports the world’s second-largest economy. Shanghai most dramatically illustrates the country’s transformation. The city is filled with stylish office buildings, five-star hotels, luxury stores and foreign visitors.
Reflecting their success, the Chinese are increasingly confident as well. If not yet a great power, the PRC seems destined to eventually share global leadership with the United States. And its people know that.
Which means future U.S.-China relations could be rocky.
Ties turned confrontational under the Obama administration, which announced a “pivot” or “rebalance” to Asia. Washington officials unconvincingly claimed that the policy was not directed against Beijing. The Chinese may be many things, but they are not stupid.
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WNU Editor: China is more focused on maintaining its $400 billion trade surplus with the U.S. and a continuation of American investment in its factories than in war. Where it gets tricky with China is its relationship with its neighbours .... where territorial disputes and threats are now the new normal. The current Chinese policy is to buy influence with its neighbours through trade .... and to use this as a lever to obtain the territorial concessions that it wants. But this can only go so far .... after that .... when countries like Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines start to exercise their claims more forcefully .... the Chinese reaction will be one of confrontation .... and after that .... who knows.
1 comment:
Suppose there is a war and Seattle get nuked. suppose the wind goes to the north east instead of due east.
Or suppose that Vancouver is hit instead of Seattle or in addition to Seattle. Navigational error; china does not want it to be used as a rail head to a Western port.
I guarantee you there will be a troll "LMAO".
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