The Rise Of China And The Security Implications To The Region Argumentative Essay Sample

- Introduction
The dramatic rise of China as a political and global trading force presents a set of matters and concerns for the highly developed countries and particularly to the Asia-Pacific region. While China only poses a lesser security precaution at this juncture, its global intentions and developing capabilities warrant some serious considerations. This is due to the military, economic and political impact of any of its actions or moves.
- China’s Security Alignments and Oppositions
Of the other stable nations in the Asia Pacific region, only Russia takes China as its vital partner. The western democracies are wary of their partnership. In the areas of trouble spots, the most serious prospect is the one relating China to Taiwan through the Taiwan Strait.
In the Asia-Pacific, this is related to China’s issue with regards to the Korean Peninsula. This is also a very strategic flashpoint to the US military. It poses as a strong threat between China and the U.S. This is why the U.S. is reinstating its influences all over the Asia Pacific Region through its Navy and Air Force. The U.S. Army also persists on its vital missions in the region. They help deter major wars, curb insurgencies and involve Chinese military in its pan Asia activities.. [There are also issues related to territorial disputes (e.g., Senkaku/Diaoyu; the South China Sea; Sino-Indian) in addition to the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula.]China is also adamant in its territorial claims. As reported by the Kyoto News International, Beijing will not compromise on its claims over disputed territories in the East China Sea and South China Sea. This is despite its entry into various dialogues with the involved neighbors. It also has an aggressive posture in its claims for the Taiwan Strait and the Korean Peninsula.
Of the other stable nations in the Asia Pacific region, only Russia takes China as its vital partner. The western democracies are wary of their partnership. In the areas of trouble spots, the most serious prospect is the one relating China to Taiwan through the Taiwan Strait.
- China’s Robust Economic Growth as a Key to its Global Leadership
Economic growth is China’s major source of power and strength. Its once stagnant growth was swept by its meteoric rise in terms of economic levels as compared to the other economies in the world today. Its impressive economic annual growth of 9% since 1979 is really a remarkable economic event in the world history. It has a fortified economic power which attracts its Southeast Asian neighbors to align itself themselves with China through open trading, strategic links, military alliances, and security dialogues. At the same time, China is also utilizing its economic advantages and other sublime influences toimpress the Asia Pacific region and the whole world. [Here you can also provide some data on the scale of China’s economic power: overall GDP and GDP in purchasing power parity terms; foreign currency reserves; annual foreign trade volumes (China is now the largest trading nation in the world); foreign investments into China. In addition, a few words about China’s power as an engine of economic growth since the global financial crisis of 2008 and especially the fact China is the largest trading partner of almost all the major countries in Asia, including ASEAN. Finally, caution about Chinese economic growth: the last few months have seen significant slowdown and the ramifications throughout the global and in particular Asian markets. Most of the information can be obtained via the CIA World Factbook at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html]
China's domestic economy continues to explode, with annual growth consistently above 20% per year. With remarkably little disruption, China is making the transition from an export-dependent economy to a much more domestically-oriented economy – with the rising incomes and huge pool of savings among China's 1.2 billion people providing the long-term support necessary for such a fantastic level of growth. In the process, China has become the “engine” of the global economy, replacing the United States. Its GDP (purchasing power parity is $12.38 trillion (2012 estimate) Because of its success in trading and exports, China is the largest holder of foreign exchange reserves in the world. Its foreign exchange reserves stand at $3.44 trillion or principally the whole of Germany’s economy.
Despites its robust growth and strong trading with Asia and the rest of the world, China also confronts various challenges such as those in its domestic savings rate, employment, graft and corruption, etc. In 2010-11, it has experienced high inflation and its tightening measures has yet to curb inflation. It has been affected by the global recession and the economic slowdown in Europe. Hence, its 2012 GDP growth consequently slowed to below 8%.
This economic power has resulted in has led to the China’s enlarging military interests and security matters all over Asia. To illustrate, China doubled its military spending in 2006 as compared to 2000. In the next year, China allocated about US$ 44.94 billion to its defense budget, a special 17.8% jump from the 2006 figures. After several years, China once again pumped up its defense budget by another 14%to a whooping $70 billion. If the rate of increase in its military budget is estimated to be consistent until 2025, then, China is expected to reach the second largest economy and one of the major the top military powers globally.
- Problem Statement
In short, in the last thirty years, China has become a global force. Aside from its economic and military strengths, it also carries the largest population in the world, including the highest consumption of energy. China also holds the third largest nuclear weapons and the highest number of military personnel. Congruent to its jump to world power is its widening and more influential involvement in foreign affairs. It mainly acts on worldwide political and security issues. Apparently, China has also raised regional security concerns into the realms of world affairs.
Hence, China’s jump to global fame has various security implications for the region and the world. This paper argues that its present position in world politics has made it very arrogant and sly in its approaches and actions. This has a strong impact in the global status quo and in China’s future role in the regional security of the Asia Pacific. Hence, the neighboring countries must look into the security issues relative to China’s emerging role. This is the main thesis of this paper.
In terms of global power and influence and the At the highest level of world security, China has a permanent membership at the UN Security Council. It can always make use of its veto power. China’s capital, Beijing, is also playing a leading role in the United Nations, particularly in its peacekeeping efforts in Africa, Haiti and Lebanon. In the trading side, China has become an active member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the G20 and the G77, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the different regional security agencies such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. During the 2010 Copenhagen Summit, China enhanced its global ecological image by being a major proponent to reduce the high level of carbon dioxide in vehicle emissions.
However, China seems not to be able to distantly clear itself of its communism tendencies. For instance, it Notably, China also tries to link itself with undemocratic African regimes and the socialist states of Burma and North Korea. It was also said that it shares friendships with Iran and it paved the way for the latter’s nuclear program the same with Pakistan. China dealt with Iran and exchanged its weaponry for oil and other energy resources. These questionable stances are also balanced off by China’s major transformation to being a special donor from being an international aid recipient.Now, China sends aid to countries like Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. China’s budget rose to $25 billion in 2007 from a mere less than one billion dollars in 2002. China strategically aligns its Latin American and African infrastructure and public works to its long-term economic agenda, specifically on the development of natural resource. Interestingly, this action is different from China’s foreign aid programs in the Southeast Asia, which, in turn, indicates long-term diplomatic and strategic goals.
There is more obscurity in its real political and military intentions as In China ’s other global engagements, Chinaexhibits has a “no strings” investiture in Africa. It has pledged to help the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Ethiopia in exchange for access to its their resources. This characterizes one of the basic Beijing policies. They align with nations of strategic importance in terms of military assets and economic resources. As illustrated, On the other hand, China’s great oil demand makes it intertwined with the Sub-Saharan African countries, whose economic agenda are crossed, in turn, by China’s exports.
All these moves indicate the ironic Chinese policies vis a visvis-a-vis its long-term relations and interest alignment with other countries, especially its neighbors.
As this point in this argumentative essay, it is vital to show that China is propelled to dynamically build its nation. It is in a transitionary stage.Its changing roles in global affairs are very much reliant ton the complex and the robust changes which transform its economy. Its economic position amounts to a great economic clout that can help it succeed or lose or recede into greater or less impressive position in global affairs. This has varying implications to the Asia Pacific region.
At one point, it is best to take China as still embedded in its development stage, despite its phenomenal economic success. While China yearns to embrace capitalism, it still has the marks of its history with communism. It is also challenged by a fast rising demand for internal changes in all aspects of its society.However, it is also crucial to fully consider the updated features of China’s regional diplomacy, its comprehensive approach to its own powers and influences against its perceived weak points and tendencies, and its global ambitions vis-a-vis other great powers must be taken into serious consideration. Another vital characteristic is how China’s regional security policies and concerns balances off with its alignment or contradiction with the United States.[The above paragraphs identify both the contributions that China can and has already made to international and regional security and developments, such as peacekeeping operations, but also highlight the problems and challenges that a growing China can pose to the international community and to reining powers such as the United States. Examples include China’s ‘no strings attached’ attitudes toward dealing with resources related issues and countries that have them, potentially undermining international efforts in promoting human rights and good governance. You also hinted the domestic sources of Chinese foreign policy behavior—i.e., economic development remains the key and that, regardless of who the leaders are, will remain as the CCP’s principal goals for some time to come. It would be good to arrange them in ways that more explicitly reflect/represent what you want to convey here.]
america’s alliance with Taiwan, one of its oldest in Asia, become a strategic liability, a relic of a bygone era that no longer advances American interests? The obvious answer would seem to be no. First, there is the legacy of the relationship. American and free Chinese forces fought together in World War II. Taiwan was America’s “unsinkable aircraft carrier” during the Cold War. More recently, democratic Taiwan has become a model of political liberalization in a Chinese society. It boasts a high-tech economy that is intimately intertwined with those of America and its Asian partners; the United States is the largest foreign investor there. Taiwan is a key strongpoint in the United States’ offshore network of allies in maritime Asia. And not insignificantly, Taiwan is a reliable friend to America at a time when President Obama’s “pivot” to Asia is a reminder of the Chinese challenge to U.S. primacy — and the imperative of maintaining in Asia a balance of power that favors freedom.
It is important to point at this juncture, that China has to build up a stronger foreign affairs relations with the U.S. It is not denied that the U.S. has one of the oldest alliance with Taiwan. The latter was the U.S.’ “unsinkable aircraft carrier” during the Cold War. Taiwan’s democratic developments have also become a model of political liberalization for China. Its high-tech economy which is directly intertwined with the Asian and American countries remain a major strongpoint of consideration for the U.S. as against its emerging relations with China. Hence, China cannot just do what it wants with regards to its territorial squabbles. It has to consider the key alliances and offshore network of the U.S. in maritime Asia. This traditional and long standing alliance must push China to forge a more formidable alliance with the U.S. China has to fully engage the U.S. and maintain a balance of power in Asia which favors freedom and does not counter the principles of dmeocracy as U.S. intended.
- Beijing’s Peace and Development Policy, A Genuine Approach or a Cover Up?
- China is Just Being Protective of Asia. It Shows Off a Regionalisttic Stand
For the past years, Chinese leaders covered up their new, benign Asian diplomacy with a clear and sound opposition to the U.S., including the American foreign policies and agenda. However, they have also felt that their neighboring leaders were not strongly supportive of its U.S. opposition. These leaders acknowledge that China’s tough national stance against the U.S. could hurt China’s intentions to improve its relationship with the U.S. government. China also recognizes the U.S.’ intention to positively influence the Asian nations with a pro active approach to resist China’s domination with a sturdy, national security position. Because of this, Chinese leaders also softened their approach and they moderated their anti-US emphasis in 2001. The Chinese policies depict this moderated approach. However, China continue to outcompete the U.S. influences in Asia through several subtle means. This is shown by the way China distributes aids to its neighbors and how it enters into various trade agreements with Asia Pacific.
- Beijing’s policy is a mixture of soft power and hard-core, aggressive approaches to many issues
- Beijing seems to deal with Asia with both openess and caution. As it overcomes its wariness over international agencies in the region, it still shows its aloofness with some interchange agencies. For instance, China abstained from the yearly security meetings in Singapore, where the U.S. played an integral role.China has already shown its adoptability via its territorial disputes. For instance, it clears its image in the territorial disputes in the South China Sea.However, China depicts the same aggressive stance to its territorial claims against Vietnam and Japan. Its blunt management of the historic territorial issue with Korea has already alienated the South Koreans.Asian leaders have also been turned off by the ways China posed a very tough position against Asian representatives to Taiwan, the Dalai Lama, and the Chineseoutlaws like Gong.These leaders were also dismayed by China’s pressures against legislative and former officers who were there during the Taiwanese president’s inauguration in 2004.Sheridan describes the foreign policy of China as sound. This was the same as it was during the 1970’s.The foreign policy analyst also describes China’s policy as “enigmatic” which means that Beijing pulls in different directions and it follows various strands of diplomatic approaches. Analysis illustrates that even with the new batch of Chinese leaders, the Chinese foreign policies have remained the same.While it shows a gentler tone and has become more open to media than duringthe communist times, majority of its foreign policy is still the same.Sheridan also assesses that China is basically focused on its domestic concerns. Hence, it views foreign policy as a mere yet vital part of its domestic policy, based mainly on its economics, nationalism and the influences of the Politburo.
The world is wary by the way the soft Beijing policy is contradicted by its very contestable propositions and actions. For instance, it keeps an aggressive stance with Japan by sending naval vessels and submarines over the Japanese territory. Meanwhile, China has pulled back instantly from India while it has shown its assertiveness in the South China Sea unlike before. These inconsistencies in terms of security measures should make the whole region concerned. Even with its diplomatic gestures, the region asks if China’s boldness is brought about by its new economic and military power. This author strongly thinks so.
As Huang also notes, Beijing’s benevolent policy (as shown by its practice of soft power) has been an interesting bend in China’s demonstration of its commitment to its “peaceful rise” to power.Hence, Beijing uses various array of foreign policy instruments beyond concrete, hard power in its interactions in the region. These include aid or development assistance, foreign trade and cultural interchanges.However, China’s strong need to project its soft power has not enhanced its goals of status and legitimacy.
- The limited appeal is due to the following: 1. Beijing’s military coercion in resolving territorial disputes; and 2. the lack of serious political reforms in the country. Hence, China’s efforts to put a benevolent front is contested by its domestic records on political and civil abuses. Hence, Beijing’s global credibility is lessened. It is not very clear yet if the country is posing benevolence to win the world or it has a different notion of expanding military might while developing its economic strengths.
- China might not see the contradiction in terms of democratization since it has a different historic experience. It has been a socialist country and thus, its orientation towards political and civil rights may be different from the western world’s standards. However, other analysts think otherwise. They consider other indicators. They believe that Beijing puts a major effort into constructing a serious consultative relationship with the U.S..
In terms of the “shirking” responsibilities of China, there is also both positive and contrary evidence to suggest an obscure position. Recently, Beijing has posed a more aggressive approach to curb North Korea. Beijing clearly wants to cool down Pyongyang while not threatening the North Korean regime or depriving it of its nuclear weapons.However, Beijing has not corrected itself in its violations of commercial intellectual property, its historic espionage and its acquisitions of the ability to disable U.S. local infrastructure networks.Hence, in the cyber security issues, Beijing has not changed its stance.
This further confirms that China has a different understanding and does not see the contradiction of its increasing militarization and economic development. China, albeit, also pursues an aggressive trade policy toward the Western economies.It gives low-interest loans to countries in other regions, particularly in Africa and Latin America. China also applies diplomatic pressures to its alliances. It pursues a foreign policy campaign between cultural imperialism (to oppose the western notions of universal human rights) and peace keeping (as it gives the biggest contingent of soldiers for U.N.’s peacekeeping missions among the permanent members of the Security Council). In other words, China employs a variety of soft and hard powers as it sees fit. When Beijing sees the international policy as advantageous, it enjoys the status quo but when it sees the rules as contradictory to its interests, it "creatively" overcomes the laws through its allies.
In a way, this paper qualifies the use of diplomacy and soft power as China’s tactic in winning the world stage. This is because the diplomatic position is getting its intended effect. Their alliance with African nations have already resulted to their pro-Chinese voting bloc in the WTO.However, their alliances’ influences are not yet seen in the U.N. Interestingly, their support for China’s position on human rights issues have earned more support, from the last decades’ 50% up to the present day’s 70%.