Rise of China

Deng Xiaoping

  • Mao dies in 1979

  • 1978 Deng Xiaoping comes to power with reformist agenda

  • Very influenced by Singapore’s rapid growth


Market Reforms

  • De-collectivized agriculture

  • Allowed foreign investment

  • Many state-owned industries privatized

  • 2001 China joins WTO and focuses on exports


Tiananmen Square 1989

  • Economic reform leads to demands for political reforms

  • Student pro-democracy protests

  • China calls in military to crush

  • Multiple deaths and arrests

  • Iconic photo of student in front of tanks


China’s Economy Today

  • Economy is described as a ‘socialist market economy’

  • Has large domestic private sector but also 60% ‘state owned enterprises’ (SOEs)

  • Government plans strategic direction of economy with industrial policy to support key sectors


Geography

  • 22 provinces - considers Taiwan as the 23rd

  • 5 autonomous regions - tibet, xinjiang (uyghurs)

  • Admin regions - Hong Kong and Macau


IR today

  • Belt and Road Initiative

  • China’s infrastructure investment program across many countries - roads, ports, ect

  • Make China the hub of key land and maritime trade routes

  • Soft power and debt to gain influence with other countries

  • World’s largest 2nd military budget

  • Wolf warrior diplomacy


South China Sea

  • China claims the SCS as its territorial waters

  • US and most other countries don’t recognize this

  • China has been building bases on artificial islands and increasing naval patrols



Taiwan

  • Nationalist party retreated to Taiwan after loss in 1949 Chinese civil war

  • Democracy and US ally

  • China claims it as a breakaway province

  • ‘One china policy’ - for diplomatic relations, China requires countries to not recognize Taiwan as a separate country


Hong Kong

  • Was a british colony from the 1840s

  • Uk then leased it for 99 years from china in 1898

  • Became a trade and finance powerhouse

  • Returned to China in 1997

  • China slowly took away its democracy


China’s espionage 

  • Industrial espionage to obtain foreign technology

  • Cyber espionage, attacks and election interference

  • Pressuring activists and diaspora abroad


Liberal internationalism

  • Liberals have traditionally advocated for ‘constructive engagement’ through trade

  • Trade and soft power would lead to economic and then political development

  • Rising china could be brought into the rules-based order