The Rise of a Fierce Yet Fragile Superpower

Frankly speaking, I'm a Chinese in Guangzhou and have never left China. What long-term China policy would be made depends on how American view China. A communist regime? A vast market with a population of 1,400,000,000? Or an eastern ancient culture? I dare swear no durable China policy would be made if American just consider China as a common country disregarding its scale and culture. The secret why China is successful in globalization is that they are willing to learn from all over the world. China doesn't have any plan to replace the USA as the No.1 country. With increasing self-improvement, China may naturally surpass the US. When it learn more and more, maybe one day it would become the center of human civilization. For America, the best way to get along (or compete) with China is to learn from China. Arrogant leads to ignorance. Try not to put your philosophies on others. More than 3,000 years ago, an ancient Chinese named Jiang Ziya said, the world belongs to the people all over the world. It means that the world doesn't only belong to any person, country, or culture. It also means that the world doesn't belong to any fairy.

Frankly speaking, I'm a Chinese in Guangzhou and have never left China. What long-term China policy would be made depends on how American view China. A communist regime? A vast market with a population of 1,400,000,000? Or an eastern ancient culture? I dare swear no durable China policy would be made if American just consider China as a common country disregarding its scale and culture. The secret why China is successful in globalization is that they are willing to learn from all over the world. China doesn't have any plan to replace the USA as the No.1 country. With increasing self-improvement, China may naturally surpass the US. When it learn more and more, maybe one day it would become the center of human civilization. For America, the best way to get along (or compete) with China is to learn from China. Arrogant leads to ignorance. Try not to put your philosophies on others. More than 3,000 years ago, an ancient Chinese named Jiang Ziya said, the world belongs to the people all over the world. It means that the world doesn???t only belong to any person, country, or culture. It also means that the world doesn???t belong to any fairy.

An unbiased analysis that will certainly clear up a lot of misunderstanding between the both sides of the Pacific.

Very clear analysis form both the aspects of China and the US, as a Chinese I am confident that the peaceful rise of China should be more welcomed and I believe it will be a double-win for both China and the US. Good luck China! Good luck 2008!

Very detialed analysis form both aspects of China and the US, as a Chinese I hope China could experience a peaceful rise mentioned in this article. Good luck China! Good luck 2008!

Why the questions? The US has never had problems dealing with authoritarian governments - even murderously tyrannical governments - as long as it was expedient. Once the only question was - are they anti-communist? Now the question is - is it good economically? Democracy has always been an afterthought. Ask the ghost of Salvador Allende.

I am from mainland China. After reading this story and all the comments, I feel that the story is very objective itself, giving a depth analysis for common American readers and another perspective to us mainland Chinese. However, as a country that is repeatedly inavaded, governed or harassed by foreign forces in recent 200 years, we Chinese feel not that sure that we would be a superpower someday like the U.S. We seldom imagine it! It is so unrealistic to 99% Chinese. Miserable history is one major cause, in addition, to individual Chinese, we are just seems liberated from darkness and poverty for not long (only several decades or so). As a result, ordinary Chinese are not used to the title "superpower" or "potential power," which would be interpreted rather as good will from western guests visiting here.
At the same time, our industry is fast developing, our trade vein flows everywhere in the world, our living condition is chaning...and we begin to openly talk about social issues, we start to organize charity groups, we can go to churchs freely, we happily see those corrupted officials sentenced to jail, we are worried about food safety, we can sue anybody of we are in disagreement, sometimes they are annoyances, we know the official must be corrupted, we are blocked to visit foreign sites, we cannot afford the soaring prices of flats in large cities, we cannot afford expensive medicine in hospitals...These are ordinary Chinese life. I hope you can understand China a little more through my description of ordinary Chinese life. We are all human beings. We love peace and pusuit liberty and freedom.

I am from mainland China. After reading this story and all the comments, I feel that the story is very objective itself, giving a depth analysis for common American readers and another perspective to us mainland Chinese. However, as a country that is repeatedly inavaded, governed or harassed by foreign forces in recent 200 years, we Chinese feel not that sure that we would be a superpower someday like the U.S. We seldom imagine it! It is so unrealistic to 99% Chinese. Miserable history is one major cause, in addition, to individual Chinese, we are just seems liberated from darkness and poverty for not long (only several decades or so). As a result, ordinary Chinese are not used to the title "superpower" or "potential power," which would be interpreted rather as good will from western guests visiting here.
At the same time, our industry is fast developing, our trade vein flows everywhere in the world, our living condition is chaning...and we begin to openly talk about social issues, we start to organize charity groups, we can go to churchs freely, we happily see those corrupted officials sentenced to jail, we are worried about food safety, we can sue anybody of we are in disagreement, sometimes they are annoyances, we know the official must be corrupted, we are blocked to visit foreign sites, we cannot afford the soaring prices of flats in large cities, we cannot afford expensive medicine in hospitals...These are ordinary Chinese life. I hope you can understand China a little more through my description of ordinary Chinese life. We are all human beings. We love peace and pusuit liberty and freedom.

The question is will the US be tolerant of a powerful yet authoritarian China enjoying enormous clout in the international community. Germany and Japan after world war II were democratic countries. Britian and America both were democracies when the US replaced Great Britain as the world's most powerful country. A peaceful world will depend upon how far China will open up its political sysmtem by introducing genuine liberal democracy. Unfortunately, the paradox is that the ruling Communist party will never allow greater democracy by risking its own monopoly of power in China. Here in lies the significance. The rise of facist Hitler and Mussoloni were responsible for the World War II.

There is no question that China is the country to watch out for in 2008. No doubt China will be the next super power, enjoying enormous clout in any major international issues. But the leaders of China should open up their political system by introducing genuine democracy in the country. But the paradox is that the ruling communist party will go out of its way to ensure its monopoly of power in China by dragging its feet on the most important modernisation programs of all: formation of a rules-based democratic society. Here in lies the significance. How long the western powers, led by the US, will tolerate powerful yet dictatorial and authoritarian China. The rise of Germany, Japan after world world II were all accompinied by introducing liberal democracy in these countries. Similarly both Britain and the US were liberal democracies when America replaced the former as the world's most powerful country.

I salute to Zakaria not just for his precise and balanced description of China today, for his great understanding and insight of China,, but also the suggestions he has given to world leaders, especially those in China and the United States. The rise of China, a country with 1.3 bilion people, or a fifth of world's total, is in the interest of all human kind. Who doesn't want a fifth of the world's population to be blessed needs to see a pyschatriast.

Frankly, I did not finish reading the whole thing, because I kind know what the article is going to say. However, what I want to say here is that there is no force (able) to stop China to rise up AGAIN. Also, I do strongly believe, a rising China is good for the world given her rather rational culture and history. And, a rising China would also make us better (is. less aggresive...).

For China to be compelled to major world agreements such as the Gatt agreements and Kyoto there going economic power must be reflected in growing political power.
Its a two edge sword with China often believing not to interfere in countries political affairs where it invests billions of dollars.
In Africa for example foreign investment in troubled countries results in Beijings position of the soverignity overriding abuses in human rights. The Paradox is giving China more political power around the world could result in a more responsible approach taken by China with regard to trade dealings and its bilateral and unilateral agreements.

australia for example when it comes to giving foreign aid places a high emphasis on corporate governance with conditions attached to the aid. For China with economic strength comes political responsability.

For China to be compelled to major world agreements such as the Gatt agreements and Kyoto there going economic power must be reflected in growing political power.
Its a two edge sword with China often believing not to interfere in countries political affairs where it invests billions of dollars.
In Africa for example foreign investment in troubled countries results in Beijings position of the soverignity overriding abuses in human rights. The Paradox is giving China more political power around the world could result in a more responsible approach taken by China with regard to trade dealings and its bilateral and unilateral agreements.

australia for example when it comes to giving foreign aid places a high emphasis on corporate governance with conditions attached to the aid. For China with economic strength comes political responsability.

For China to be compelled to major world agreements such as the Gatt agreements and Kyoto there going economic power must be reflected in growing political power.
Its a two edge sword with China often believing not to interfere in countries political affairs where it invests billions of dollars.
In Africa for example foreign investment in troubled countries results in Beijings position of the soverignity overriding abuses in human rights. The Paradox is giving China more political power around the world could result in a more responsible approach taken by China with regard to trade dealings and its bilateral and unilateral agreements.

australia for example when it comes to giving foreign aid places a high emphasis on corporate governance with conditions attached to the aid. For China with economic strength comes political responsability.

China just proved the fallacy that "democracy does not guarantee prosperity"

I am an immigrant from China. My motherland peaceful rise is a good thing and very important to the peace of the world. HHK

12/25/2007

What an interesting article for Christmas day 2007.

Yes, a lot of this is the hype of the American press. The press is causing xenophobic reactions on the part of people, who seem to fear what they do not understand. Most people, who have never been able to visit China, really don't know what???s true and what is not. But I know this. There are more than 4,000,00 millionaires in America. There is only a fraction of this in China, while the population is nearly four times that of the U.S. The U.S. leads the world in this category. No other nation on either continent is even close.

If the growth that has happened in China is real, than it is the most miraculous 30 year expansion in the history of the world. The question would obviously be, who helped China do all of this so quickly? What secrets about capitalism do the Chinese know that the real of the world does not know? Is there really the ???God??? factor in the Chinese miraculous turn around?

What's really wrong with America is greed. It will also become a problem in China. The rich have the money and they also want the control. This is the major obstacle to peace in the world.

Christ is the most reliable answer. To a growing degree, He seems to be missing in America as well as in most of China.

Merry Christmas!