Guiding Question: What is the greatest threat China poses to the US?
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China and the United States have gone through periods of collaboration and tension that have affected not only the two nations, but the rest of the world to this day. During the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Mao Zedong’s Communists drove Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists onto the island of Taiwan which created great tension between the United and China because China became communist, while the United States remained extreme capitalists. In 1972 after many years of no communication, United States President, Richard Nixon, made a visit to China. This meeting was the turning point for US-China relations because it was the country’s first meeting since China became communist during the Cold War. Since then, the two countries have grown far closer economically. But even as China broadens its economic opportunities, their foreign policies diverge in part because China has a different styled government than the US. China and the U.S. have the largest economies in the world; their financial and trading relationship shape the global economy. Although the two economies are similar, they have different, and often opposing views on many national security and foreign policy issues. As they continue to reform their government and economy their power will only continue to grow. This raises the questions to Americans: What is the greatest threat China poses to the US?
The United States has believed that their power and political primacy in the world would continue indefinitely and that China would never have the power or will to challenge this. But over the last few decades, the United States has seen China’s growth and reform through the building of their government and economy that has promoted their rising political persona to the rest of the world. The United States does not think they have to worry about China yet, but eventually China could become a much bigger threat to the world than the U.S. anticipates. It has been made especially clear to the US the great importance of maintaining a symbiotic relationship, which can only be assured of if Chinese Foreign Policy holds favorable policies or agreements with the United States. China wants to work with the US for a number of reasons. First, because of US control over the monetary system(1) that gives them power over global currency. Second, most allied countries are seen as secondary to the US, which is what China wants to avoid; they want the US to treat them as equals. Furthermore the US has developed technology that if shared with China will modernize and improve their standard of living which ultimately can expedite their economic growth. Lastly, China also needs the US for natural resources like oil and natural gas because they are one of the leading oil producers in the world. Apart from the POC needing to from good relations with the US, the US also benefits to be in alliance with China. They’re a communist country that the US fears will fall under Soviet influence, or other communist countries that are not friendly with the US. Additionally, China has just recently risen to great power after coming out of decades of struggling leaders and governments. Because of this, China is in a crucial time period where outside factors influence (like the U.S.) can greatly impact China as it continues to grow and change.
The United States has believed that their power and political primacy in the world would continue indefinitely and that China would never have the power or will to challenge this. But over the last few decades, the United States has seen China’s growth and reform through the building of their government and economy that has promoted their rising political persona to the rest of the world. The United States does not think they have to worry about China yet, but eventually China could become a much bigger threat to the world than the U.S. anticipates. It has been made especially clear to the US the great importance of maintaining a symbiotic relationship, which can only be assured of if Chinese Foreign Policy holds favorable policies or agreements with the United States. China wants to work with the US for a number of reasons. First, because of US control over the monetary system(1) that gives them power over global currency. Second, most allied countries are seen as secondary to the US, which is what China wants to avoid; they want the US to treat them as equals. Furthermore the US has developed technology that if shared with China will modernize and improve their standard of living which ultimately can expedite their economic growth. Lastly, China also needs the US for natural resources like oil and natural gas because they are one of the leading oil producers in the world. Apart from the POC needing to from good relations with the US, the US also benefits to be in alliance with China. They’re a communist country that the US fears will fall under Soviet influence, or other communist countries that are not friendly with the US. Additionally, China has just recently risen to great power after coming out of decades of struggling leaders and governments. Because of this, China is in a crucial time period where outside factors influence (like the U.S.) can greatly impact China as it continues to grow and change.
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Most importantly, the US supports China’s prospering and reform hoping that this will push them towards a more democratically elected leader and democratic parliament which would tend to be more cooperative and raise less problems for the US. China and the US both hold debts and trading relations between one and other; if China were to stop exporting goods to the US than our economy would suffer and if US were to put an embargo on Chinese goods their economy would suffer. Therefore, as the “Outcome List of President Xi Jinping's State Visit to The United States” realized that China and the U.S. both, “...recognize their shared interest in promoting a strong and open global economy, inclusive growth and sustainable development, and a stable international financial system, supported by the multilateral economic institutions founded at the end of World War II that have benefited the peoples of both nations.”
President Barack Obama and President Xi’s Junping have met many times to discuss their agreements and disagreements where they can form a working basis together to help both nations thrive. While President Xi remains in relation with communist countries because of their needs in that country the US has not. China supports Bashar-al assad(1) because of Western China’s minority of muslims, while the US supports the uprising considering Assad is a ruthless dictator.
President Barack Obama and President Xi’s Junping have met many times to discuss their agreements and disagreements where they can form a working basis together to help both nations thrive. While President Xi remains in relation with communist countries because of their needs in that country the US has not. China supports Bashar-al assad(1) because of Western China’s minority of muslims, while the US supports the uprising considering Assad is a ruthless dictator.
The difference between the first images (the one to the top left and the image on the top right) show the difference between the islands before China decided to build military bases compared to the islands after. The image to the bottom right shows a close up US officials have captured the prove that China has used these the islands for their own naval and military artillery.
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In another example, China considers the South China Sea(2) their territory even though four countries claim the Spratly islands(4). They want to have power over the trading lanes and islands so they can continue building military bases. However the US fears China could put a toll on ships through this vast area of water which would threaten the US need for a strong Asia naval presence if China could prohibited US naval ships traveling freely. Also, if China devalues currency than US dollar is worth more which makes it cheaper for us to buy their goods. Although this may look good for us, if we buy more goods from China it will hurt our own industries and businesses that would otherwise be profiting. Finally, Chinese hackers have hacked into networks and emails that are protected by security walls that block our strategic state secrets, “patents” designs and architecture, and research and files that are worth billions. If the Chinese steal from US it will give them the advantage and allow them to always be one step ahead of us. China denies they’re behind these attacks even though the US has traced the hacks to divisions of China. President Xi denial is ironic considering the government controls the internet and media which would make it impossible for Chinese citizens to have access to such software without government clearance. Clearly the world perceives their relationship through a foggy lense. The US and China may seem in agreement but still remain hostile to one and other; they have much work to do to find equity in their decisions on ways to move forward. As the current US. President, Barack Obama, and POC “President” Xi Jinping's, discussion at the White House highlighted that, “The two sides agreed that, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and countries with important global influence, China and the United States should remain committed to maintaining a strong relationship to contribute to the peace, stability, prosperity of the world and the region.”
Vocabulary:
1: MONETARY SYSTEM: NETWORK OF MONEY PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT AND MOVED AROUND THE WORLD, GLOBAL CURRENCY
2: BASHAR-AL ASSAD: DICTATOR OF SYRIA. CHINA SUPPORTS HIS REGIME BECAUSE SYRIA RETAIN STRONG TRADING RELATIONS WITH CHINA FOR OIL. CHINA SUPPORTS THE ASSAD REGIME KNOWING THAT IF WAR TO BREAK OUT IN IRAN, BY SUPPORTING THE REBELS, IT WOULD THREATEN OIL PRODUCTION IN CHINA.
3: SOUTH CHINA SEA: A SEA OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MALAYSIA, BRUNEI, PHILIPPINES, TAIWAN, AND CHINA. CURRENTLY DISPUTED BY CHINA BECAUSE OF THE TRADING LANES.
4: SPRATLY ISLANDS: ISLANDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. CONSTANT TERRITORIAL DISPUTE, BUT CURRENTLY OWNED BY: CHINA, MALAYSIA, VIETNAM, TAIWAN, AND THE PHILIPPINES. CHINA CONTINUES TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS, BY MOVING SEDIMENT FROM THE SEAFLOOR TO A REEF, THAT CHINA HAS CONTINUED TO BUILD MILITARY BASES ON.
1: MONETARY SYSTEM: NETWORK OF MONEY PROVIDED BY GOVERNMENT AND MOVED AROUND THE WORLD, GLOBAL CURRENCY
2: BASHAR-AL ASSAD: DICTATOR OF SYRIA. CHINA SUPPORTS HIS REGIME BECAUSE SYRIA RETAIN STRONG TRADING RELATIONS WITH CHINA FOR OIL. CHINA SUPPORTS THE ASSAD REGIME KNOWING THAT IF WAR TO BREAK OUT IN IRAN, BY SUPPORTING THE REBELS, IT WOULD THREATEN OIL PRODUCTION IN CHINA.
3: SOUTH CHINA SEA: A SEA OFF THE COAST OF VIETNAM BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF MALAYSIA, BRUNEI, PHILIPPINES, TAIWAN, AND CHINA. CURRENTLY DISPUTED BY CHINA BECAUSE OF THE TRADING LANES.
4: SPRATLY ISLANDS: ISLANDS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. CONSTANT TERRITORIAL DISPUTE, BUT CURRENTLY OWNED BY: CHINA, MALAYSIA, VIETNAM, TAIWAN, AND THE PHILIPPINES. CHINA CONTINUES TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL ISLANDS, BY MOVING SEDIMENT FROM THE SEAFLOOR TO A REEF, THAT CHINA HAS CONTINUED TO BUILD MILITARY BASES ON.