SUPERPOWER COUNTRY? CHINA

What forms of power does China have?
1. Geographical
  1. Almost 10 million square km
  2. Third largest country after Russia and Canada
  3. Bordered by India and Central Asia
  4. Vast reserves of coal in the west
  5. Huge Population of 1.3billion
    1. Biggest population in the world
    2. Fifth of world population
    3. More than 3 times USA population
2. Economic
  1. World's forth largest trading nation
  2. GDP 13% of world's output (second to USA)
  3. Fastest growing economy - grown 9.5%/year for 20 years
  4. High growth rates, low labour costs, huge emerging market attracted world's highest levels of foreign investment
3. Military
  1. Reputation as major military power
  2. Possession of nuclear weapons (240)
Implications of China's power for other nations
1. USA
  1. Use rising economic and political power to undermine USA in Asia
  2. Could overtake USA as largest trade economy in a few years and could be largest economy in a few decades
  3. Inexpensive Chinese imports increased purchasing power of people in USA - currency fixing so Chinese products favored?
2. ASIA
  1. Want to secure periphery in Asia - restricting other countries' development
  2. In South Korea, Southeast Asia etc manufacturers view a rising China as a threat. Lower cost and more effective production in China
Regional or International superpower?
1. Regional
  1. No Global Brands
  2. Still areas of low development
  3. Unsustainable growth due to ageing population, environmental concerns, culture that doesn't encourage risk/creativity
    1. Economic reform cannot continue without political reform?
2. International
  1. Gaining influence with USAs closest allies (during financial crisis gave billions in contracts to GB and France)
  2. 2010, surpassed US to become biggest trading partner of Japan and Brazil
  3. $100bn/year trade with Middle East and Africa
  4. Becoming world's largest producer of solar and wind energy - now exporting to Us - being used for 360000acre wind farm in Texas
  5. Starting to exert political power more responsibly - taken leading role in G20 helping push for active response to world financial crisis
Is China causing a decline in other countries' superpower status?
1. By 2030, Asia will have surpassed North America and Europe combined in terms of GDP, population, military spending and technological investment
2. Economic power will grow faster than US's
3. Will enhance superiority over Japan, Russia, and India
4. Greater political integration could turn EU into a state entity by 2015, so China and EU could have the same semi-superpower status at that time

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SUPERPOWER COUNTRY? CHINA

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	Created by beth.nightingale almost 12 years ago