30
Jun 2011
The Giant China
As we look a little bit closer to what is going on around the globe, the news, we realize that geopolitics and geo strategy (study of each State & political actor’s on the international scene) form one body. The correlation between both terms includes not only politics but a very important economic aspect that is gaining the upper hand. Experts of the subject have declared in the past that the hegemony of a country depended on just few fundamentals criteria. By analyzing our environment and the behavior of certain states, is it not possible to support the hypothesis that the power of a country no longer passes through military and technological power but takes on more of the intersection of economical science and geopolitics, its geo economy? Obviously, we are not here to talk about politics, but at this point, we can notice that China is the perfect example. First things first, let us define the term “geopolitics” for those who are not very familiar with the. According to the consensus, geopolitics is:
A theory within the International Relations and describes the relation between politics and territory and comprises the art and practice of analyzing, proscribing, forecasting and using political power over a given territory. In the abstract, geopolitics indicates the links and causal relationships between political power and geographic space; in concrete terms it is often seen as a body of thought assaying specific strategic prescriptions based on the relative importance of land power and sea power in world history.”
In the course of history, countless events, facts (political, geopolitical, economical or sociological) have shaped and modulated the world. A world subjugated to international relations, subjugated themselves to the different periods of the last half century setting balance of power: the bipolarization during Cold War Era. Consequently, the unipolar post-Cold War World (with the collapse of the Soviet bloc and the supremacy of the United States of America). Similarly, following the recent financial crisis, a serious affirmation of the multi polarization of the world may I add, resulting in the emergence of new centers of power such as China and the flickering see the end of the supremacy of the Western World?
Eyes on China.
For long, China was classified as third world economy. A classification assigned by the Western giants. Nonetheless, with its mix of policy legitimizing the supremacy of a single Communist Party and the adoption of a socialist market economy (State capitalism) developed since the opening reform leaded by Deng Xiaoping BACK IN 1978, despite heavy odds, China has gradually adapted, modernized and strengthened the control of its infrastructures and customs, enabling it to withstand the recent crises (especially the 2008 crisis that has remarkablywidespread, affected and resulted in a destabilization of systems of multiple countries) to the world.
It has been once pronounced: “The strong will become weak and the weak strong”
The economical situation and especially China’s trade, has many progressed. The investment effort and productivity evolved, low wage costs playing a prominent role which resulted in a dramatic come of direct investment flows towards China. Today we can say that the Chinese economy blossoms.
As music would have held the top spot on the UK or USA Music Charts, China has recently occupied headlines in many newspapers, several consecutive weeks, succeeding meeting after meeting, conference after conference, and alliance after alliance.
Within the month of June, members of the Chinese government met their Russian, Sri Lankan, Brazilian, Kazakhstan, Ukrainian, Indonesian, and other nationalities counterparts. Partnerships established in order to reach high volume of import/export, develop bilateral relations, and deepen mutual political trust. Not to mention the increasing participation of members of the Chinese government in meetings and conferences of international organizations (ASEAN recently, the SCO Shanghai Cooperation Organization, etc).
From a third world-South country to a status of “developing” to rustle up the first world power, China enforces and ensures its place at the forefront of any future form of global governance.
In short, China multiplies coalitions with a big part of countries from the South. A Behavior to expand its contacts / clients wallet that reflects a desire to achieve a goal established long time ago. Let us remember that in 1973, Mao Zedong solemnly declared to the President of Mali, who came to visit, that China was also the third world, although it was not been formally colonized. All Third World countries, big or small, and regardless of regime, are proclaimed to show solidarity. The third world “that is suffering, struggling, requiring action” is celebrated everywhere as a giant Prometheus.
Finally, what we see nowadays is a China that wants to play the role of big brother for underdeveloped countries. A China whose image among its followers is the one of a sister who holds out her loving hand to those in need or a flagship development. A China that invests its energy, contributes to the emergence of other countries.
For some, this act is genuine and really witnesses the change in the world and the desire to help give everyone a place. But if it is based on studies done by Yves Lacoste, one can only see a conspiracy or a Machiavellian plan. Yves Lacoste himself had set the pattern, not north / south, but rather Centre / Periphery (envisaged by the leaders of the Soviet bloc in terms of political and ideological) with China as a center and its periphery. Indeed, if one refers to the last actions, the countries in collaboration with China are doubtlessly a kind of ring road from China: An influence on East Asia, Western Asia, Eurasia, making Africa his right arm (China, defying France, brought together over 40 African presidents, invested, concluded trade agreements with 49 countries / set the laws of import taxation with 25 African countries), Latin America’s left arm (Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Chile). The goal is a sizeable return on investment and total dependence as the economies of these countries are changing.
You probably think that this could never happen due to the weight ad power of other Western countries. However, China also engulfs them in its plan by ensuring that they have no choice but to stay lifeless; starting with the United States of America with the Chinese banks that cover much of the financial deficit of the United States, after buying U.S. Treasury bonds for $ 350 billion.
Sources:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1287798.stm
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/index.html
http://www.herodote.org/spip.php?article273
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