Evaluate the extent to which China can now be viewed as a superpower
A superpower, which was first used by William Fox, is a state that is capable of successfully exerting influence and power on a global scale with economic and military strength and places it in a dominant position. In recent years, China’s rapid economic growth, military power and global influence has led many to view China as an emerging superpower striving to be the world hegemon as it competes with the current superpower: the USA. However, it is clear to see that China faces problems in the sector of military power, global influence and economic power which proves that China is in fact not a superpower but a great power.
The rise of China’s economic strength can be used to agree that China is indeed a superpower. For instance, especially since the market reforms of Deng Xiaoping in 1978, in 2015 the IMF ranked China as the number one economic superpower in the world and has asserted that China produced 17% of the world gross domestic product (GDP) in 2014 exceeding U.SA’s GDP. This shows the powershift and the growth in China’s stance over the US due to the immaculate growth of China’s economy in the last decades. Moreover, annual growth rates for Chian have been 8-10% a year for almost 30 years which is twice the levels of Western economies. This represents the long lasting and stable economy that China has managed to maintain which is encouraged in order to be classified as a superpower. Additionally, Realists (such as Mearsheimer) would argue that this clear power shift to China due to the immediate economic growth would show China as a competitive superpower as there is tension with the US to remain the sole superpower in a unipolar world. Therefore, China’s grand economic strength seems to show that China is certainly an economic superpower.
On the other hand, China’s economic rise faces problems which destructs its strance as a global superpower. For example, a deeper look into China’s economy shows that the People’s Republic of China’s economic strength is far smaller and poorer than the US. China’s average income (GDP) is $3,738 and America’s is $48,153. Also, oil imports (in million barrels per day) in China is 4.3% and the US has a rate of 9.6%. This shows that China still remains a weak competition against the US as it has not been able to overthrow the USA’s economic strength. Moreover, tensions between the free-market economic system and the Stalinist- communist political system may erupt into widespread social protest which could drastically affect China’s economy. For realists, tension is inevitable with amoral states and many use the example of the ‘melian dialogue’ which shows a likely consequence to the tensions between the free market economic system and the Stalinist-communist political system. Therefore China cannot be viewed as a superpower with potential destructive tension that can be easily erupted.
China’s growing global influence on global issues can prove to make China seem like a superpower. For example, China contributes and invests in the issue of climate change through its memberships of the WTO which aims to discuss policy pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability. China has been strengthening its political and economic links with countries such as Australia and those in central Africa, parts of the Middle East and Latin America to gain access to natural resources as well as build stronger ties. This shows how China is striving to reach influence on a global scale and at the same time benefit themselves into becoming a superpower which realists believe that this competition is a ‘zero-sum game’ and in order for a state to be classified as a superpower it must seek to take advantage of any possible means to achieve relative gains. Moreover, in 2017 China invested in railways where a Chinese freight train first arrived in Barking which helps demonstrate China’s way of extending their global reach and opportunities for trade with other countries. Therefore this proves that China can be regarded as a superpower now because it has improved its global reach successfully and quickly in recent years.
On the other hand, China’s global influence on its own is failing to identify China as a global superpower against the US. For example, China remains a poor country, with a standard of living only one-fifth of America’s. This means that people in the rich world do not look to China as a model. While China is poor its ability to influence is bound to be strictly limited. Even by 2030, when the Chinese economy could be twice the size of America’s, its standard of living will only be a little over half that of the average American. China’s relative poverty, in other words, will act as a major constraint on China’s capacity to appeal, its soft power, for several decades. Moreover the US remains a leading role in the world especially after it set up NATO in 1949 which is a formed alliance between territories of North America and Europe. For liberals, intergovernmental organizations are a key way of preventing conflict and therefore proves that the US remains a key founder of stability which will help the country persevere and of which it mainly dominates. Therefore, China cannot be viewed as a superpower now because it does not dominate in global organisations and it lacks in major influence.
China’s military expansion has also led to the view that China can be regarded as a superpower. For instance, China has been a nuclear power since 1964 and has the second largest military behind the US. However in the last few years its military presence in the South China Sea to reinforce its claims to the Taiwan and to fishing rights and control of strategic shipping lanes. China has over 2.3 million in active service with additional 1.1 million as reserves and military pole. Also, china is the second largest donator of peacekeeping troops and financial supplier. According to neo-realists, military power the safest course is to become the hegemon through military and economy through the ‘zero-sum game.’ This shows that China is more likely to become a superpower because it has successfully advanced in its economy and military quickly which appears to show that China is taking a active and meaningful step to be the hegemon. Therefore, China’s can strongly be regarded as an economic superpower due to the fact that it maintains a strong economy.
On the other hand, compared to the US, China does not have the same military capabilities. For example, the US accounts for 37% of global military spending, and spends more than four times what China, the world’s number two spender, does on its military. Also, the US dominates across land, sea, air and space. Moreover, a report done for Congress’ bipartisan U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission states that "we have found that the PLA suffers from potentially serious weaknesses. These shortcomings could limit its ability to successfully conduct the information-centric, integrated joint operations Chinese military strategists see as required to fight and win future wars." Realists would agree that a strong and successful army is the only way to secure power and become a world hegemon however this seems to lack in China’s military sector as it clearly has not fulfilled its military capabilities to the fullest. Therefore, it is not logical to assume that China is a superpower now due to the fact that it has not succeeded the US and its military seems to be unstable meaning it cannot be the world hegemon.
Overall, China is indeed a successful and strong great power however China’s economy, military and global influence does not successfully challenge US hegemony. It is clear that China faces many problems in the sector of the economy with many tensions that could possibly weaken its economy for its current state. Also, although attempts have been made, China does not remain a lead in global influence and organisations. Additionally, regarding military power, China is unable to compete with the US which seems to make it quite unlikely for China to be a superpower in a unipolar world. However, China’s major progression in these areas proves that it can be regarded as a strong and stable great power.
Bleta Januzi