China Articles

Zheng (liberalism)

  • 2001→ China joins world trade organization

  • thus far, China’s growth has been driven by monetary, tech, and resource values and all growth has been obtained peacefully

    • they embraced globalization

  • about 10 mil rural chinese/yr migrate to cities

  • according to China’s plan, it will take until 2050 for them to be considered modernized, medium level country

    • three obstacles facing them:

      • lack of resources → focus on industrialization based on tech, low consumption of natural resources, and optimal allocation of human resources

      • high rates of pollution/waste combined w little recycling → see above

      • lack of coordination between economic/social movement → instead of trying to gain more power, China will strive for peace with all states; leave behind outdated methods and create a “harmonious socialist society”

    • the plan:

      • 2000→2010: gross domestic product doubled

      • 2010→2020: GDP doubled again

      • 2020→2050: keep advancing

    • China wants US and East Asia included in this plan for peace

Clash of the Titans (realism)

  • while for now China is rising peacefully, that may not always be the case

  • international system defining characteristics:

    • states operate in anarchy (no higher power above them)

    • ones offensive military capability

    • no one state can know the future intentions of other states

  • Mearsheimer: says China cannot rise peacefully and that if they continue their growth at the rate they are, a China-US conflict is imminent; says China’s one aim/ultimate goal is to become asia+russia’s hegemon; says China may very well try to get military capabilities to tango w the US at a later date, even if they aren’t right now; says it is in China’s best interest to turn economic strength into power to impose their interests and keep US at bay

  • Brzezinski: says an aggressive foreign policy for China would be dangerous to their communist lifestyle, says in order to have a real collision China needs a military capable of taking on the US, says the possibility of a nuclear war is keeping China at bay from seeking out military capabilities of taking on the US, says US would probably step in if China tried to take over Taiwan, “stability today does not ensure peace tomorrow”

China Threat Theory (constructivism)

  • realist perspective needs to differentiate between defensive and offensive trends

    • offensive realism (Mearsheimer): every state in IS seeks survival and therefore wants as much power as possible (hegemony) and wants to take out peer competitors (based on anarchy, mutual mistrust, and power=influence)

    • applying this to China, they have become a hegemonic threat to the US’s global influence and to others. they have begun sticking their nose in Africa and using history, a hegemonic war is inevitable

    • this seems reasonable, but, the realist lenses only looks on external factors/influences and does not take into account China’s own issues and dependency on the IS

  • according to the liberalists, *above* makes war less likely because of the interdependence (cost of war is higher bc of the web of relations)

    • five principles

      • mutual respect for territory and sovereignty

      • emphasizes mutual non-aggression

      • the need to refrain from meddling in internal affairs

      • envisages equality and mutual beenfit

      • peaceful coexistence

    • liberal values deeply rooted in Confucian philosophy

    • China emphasizes its defensive nature (wants peace)