Jump to content

How a Chinese superpower may be different


Recommended Posts

Posted

CHINA BUSINESS WEEKLY
How a Chinese superpower may be different

Suwatchai Songwanich
Chief executive Officer,
Bangkok Bank (China)

BEIJING: -- Is China a superpower? This intriguing question was recently posed by Vanchai Srichana, president of Mae Fah Luang University, at a Bangkok Bank event.

In Professor Vanchai's view, there are three aspects to being a superpower - economic might, military might and global influence.

And although China has both economic and military might, plus a great culture and history, its global cultural influence is not yet enough to qualify for superpower status.

For example, other superpowers - either in the present, such as the US, or in past centuries, such as France and Britain - have disseminated their cultural influence to every corner of the world through language, food, fashion, media and social systems.

China's global influence is much more modest. One reason for this, according to Vanchai, is that unlike Western powers, China didn't colonise any overseas territories. Instead, China's foreign policy approach was to create mutually beneficial trade.

This point has been repeatedly stressed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who says that Chinese culture advocates harmony and diversity. He vows that no matter how powerful China becomes, it will not exercise hegemony over other countries but will support a multipolar world.

While of course some might be sceptical about this, Xi can support his claim by pointing to China's long history of peaceful engagement through many centuries when it was a major economic power.

For example, in the 15th century, as a major maritime power, China could have colonised Southeast Asia - but it chose not to.

Rather than establish colonies, China set up a tribute system - in return for access to the Chinese market and protection, neighbours were required to give gifts to acknowledge China's superiority.

This was symbolic, as the gifts were reciprocated, usually with even greater value.

While conceding that China is not yet a superpower, Vanchai is confident that it will become one as its cultural influence grows.

His Mae Fah Luang University is a good illustration of the growing influence of China, as students study in Chinese as well as Thai.

While I agree that China is on track to becoming a superpower, I think its style will reflect its own culture and history, and its behaviour will be very different to that of Western powers.

We recently celebrated Chinese New Year around the world with the usual exchanges of gifts, gatherings of families and demonstrations of respect.

This is a great model for the win-win philosophy of China's international engagement.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/How-a-Chinese-superpower-may-be-different-30256072.html

nationlogo.jpg
-- The Nation 2015-03-16

Posted

Culture already exist here for long time Chinese immigrant already all around the world and many of them a very sucess business on local community as you can see in China town .

In American Chinese food are very popular and Chinese didn't colonise by force like Japan,Britain and America .

In Afgan and Pakistan the local more like Chinese as they don't tell them which president to choose like America does in the past.

Nowdays it's not wise to use bullet but money, biggest bonds

buyer in States is China.

Posted

I'm not so sure that Chinese influence is not already global....it's just more subtle.

Every nation on earth has Chinese immigrants, and those immigrants have local influence. Call me a conspiracy nut, but I wouldn't be surprised if the most influential of the immigrants in every country have some Chinese government backing.

Posted

In fairness, China had a very rough 20th century. Wars, famine, wars, famine, civil war, self afflicting war (Cultural Revolution). Considering all that, it's truly amazing the Chinese are doing as well as they are currently. However, all the massive suffering and bad decisions of the 20th century can't be erased by the fact that money is now pouring in to the country. China knows it has to clean up its environment. Not just band-aids, but in a concerted way involving all Chinese. They need a perception change in their attitudes about forests and animals. Contrary to Chinese thinking, animals don't exist just to be ingested by our one species (for hardening dicks or otherwise). Forests don't exist just to provide wood for people. Plants and animals exist on their own terms, at least until some Chinese (or their agents) show up to kill them to sell.

Here are is a phrase which Chinese need to embrace, and teach to their children: environmental husbandry.

People can co-exist with thriving forests and living beasts. It doesn't have to be people commandeering everywhere (concrete and asphalt in all directions, as far as the eye can see), and nature just something you see pretty pictures of while staring at your hand-held device or computer. Unfortunately, Thailand is embracing China's world-view. The proof is runaway building in every direction, with not even a thought for a park, let alone natural habitat.

If the world's land masses were covered with concrete buildings and roads, Asians would adapt, with perhaps a few muffled protests.

Posted

Another one to the list:

Read on Irrawaddy that just last week a Chinese government sympathizing businessman in Yangoon was tortured and murdered by the police there. Turns out he had some connection with the Kokang rebel groups which killed a couple dozen Myanmar soldiers. Seems like Thailand is alone in SE Asia in kissing up to the Chinaman, unfortunate because Hans consider Thais to be their slaves.

  • Like 1
Posted

If/when China is a real superpower, the USA haters here will really have something to complain about.

No doubt their venom will still be directed at the USA for allowing it to happen.

  • Like 2
Posted

The CCP dictators in Beijing know that for the People's Republic of China to become a global power, it must first become a regional power.

This is impossible because of the democracies of the region, specifically, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Philippines, India and, increasingly, Indonesia. Add Vietnam to the list too which whupped China's butt when the PLA invaded in 1979 then withdrew after gaining nothing.

Bangkok bankers are now entering the global market as whores and as Beijing's bich..

The last sentence soured the previous words into obscurity.

Other words that I may have used...pawns, dupes, puppets, concubine, etc. Perhaps not as sensational, but they may help keep the momentum of the thought on track.

Posted

China is set to become the superpower of the 21st century, as the old superpowers fade... It's just the nature of things, and it is time for Asia to take the lead...

  • Like 2
Posted

I consider a "super power" as a "roque power" able to dictate its will on most of the rest of the world.

If China get enough influence to put en end to roque power, that's good enough for me.

Posted

The CCP dictators in Beijing know that for the People's Republic of China to become a global power, it must first become a regional power.

This is impossible because of the democracies of the region, specifically, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Philippines, India and, increasingly, Indonesia. Add Vietnam to the list too which whupped China's butt when the PLA invaded in 1979 then withdrew after gaining nothing.

Bangkok bankers are now entering the global market as whores and as Beijing's bich..

You sound really hurt about this.

Posted

Superpowers inevitably become bullies enslaving other nations and stealing resources.

China has a better history than Europe and US, but would it stay that way? They also have a raft of financial problems like the West from money printing, hard to see how this will all play out.

There is also the possibility of a new US war with Russia and China, maybe there'll no one left to worry about it all.

Posted (edited)

China is set to become the superpower of the 21st century, as the old superpowers fade... It's just the nature of things, and it is time for Asia to take the lead...

The "nature of things" is that Beijing CCP state corporate market socialism is no different from Soviet CCCP state corporatism.

The Soviet one failed, the Chinese one is failing. Relative to the West, the PRChinese consumer economy now is at approximately the Soviet Union consumer economy then.

That is the "nature of things."

Asia anyway will not be dominated by anyone as there are too many centers of national power, from Japan and South Korea to Taiwan, Asean, Australia, India, Iran, Egypt, throw in Israel-US, Turkey, Russia, Nato, EU. Investors for instance are lining up to enter Iran and the mullahs are laying out the carpets for 'em while China, Russia, India can only look on and hustle to join the queque.

If Beijing commits to emergency loan assistance and currency support of Russia as it is now seriously considering, it will fracture Asia all the more and also expose the collapsing CCP economy to Russian default.

Nobody is rising and nobody is falling. Everything is moving sideways in both directions simultaneously which in the 21st century is much better for everyone.

Edited by Publicus
  • Like 2
Posted (edited)
"When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order"

by Martin Jacques, pub. 2009, 2012, Penguin.

Not a comforting read.

Edited by Enoon
Posted

When one considers how a Chinese superpower may be different from other superpowers, one might also ask the same about India, the largest democracy in the world. The answer to who China is may be found in who India is.

India has largely remained a "backwater" state despite having one of the world's largest GDP, population, and cultural integrity for hundreds of years. Yet, the only imperialism we have seen from India is its interest in tiny Kashmir where there is a historical precedence for India interests. There are parallels with China.

India is a China on transcendantal meditation. Many of its contrast are its similarities.But India has a civilian-ruled powerhouse of democratic governance, military and industrial complex that could dominate all of Asian on par with China. While it shares borders with two nuclear armed nations, it has not used threat of nuclear hostility to promote foreign policy nor has it attracted nuclear threats. In fact foreign relations between India and China are so nonexistant one would think the two countries are in opposite sides of the planet!

So it seems India and China share some kind of expansionist restraint and unity of governance that does not require foreign interaction to be sustained. They both share a sense of self-determination. If that remains for the near future without major intercontinental wars, India and China may ultimately have a shared superpower status comparable to the US-Canada and UK-EU partnerships. I hope that the people of China can presevere through China's growing pains to bring it into a true superpower.

Posted

Rather than establish colonies, China set up a tribute system - in return for access to the Chinese market and protection, neighbours were required to give gifts to acknowledge China's superiority.

In most civilized counties this is called...extortion...which is a criminal offense...

  • Like 2
Posted

Reading the Western diatribes and flames, it is obvious the Chinese scare the hell out of everyone.

They don't scare the hell out of me, but am concerned. Much as I would be concerned about a house built on a mudflat instead of a solid foundation. The sheer weight of China, like trillion ton sumo wrestler, is sobering. Already, some of their pollution is traveling along the prevailing winds to north America. China is by far the biggest contributor to the Great Pacific Trash Vortex: a Texas-sized plastic goop, about 3 meters thick, which is suspended in the north Pacific. It's entirely composed of decomposing plastic. However, the plastic will never completely decompose, so the Pacific is left with a billion tons of goop - which affects every living thing, from protozoa to plankton to whales to people. Will China ever lift a finger to start cleaning it up? No way. They don't even acknowledge it exists. It's indicative of China's attitude to the world. A farang friend said to me last week, "China is sucking up all the oxygen in the world." I don't see it that bad, but it's an interesting picture he painted in one sentence.

I see it more like the Sumo wrestler (yes, I know Sumo is native to Japan). In the s. China Sea for example: China is in no hurry. It won't back down and it knows it will prevail eventually. The other countries are like 150 lb wrestlers and China is like a 900 pounder. All it has to do is lean, and lean, and lean some more, .....and the others will get smothered on the ground, one by one.

Us's Rome to China's Carthage.

Interesting comparison. Romans contributed a whole heck of a lot more to advancement of civilization than Carthaginians did.
Posted

China is polluted, corrupt, and its leaders terrified that its population will eventually take to the streets. Long before it becomes a "superpower," it will crumble.

  • Like 2
Posted

China is polluted, corrupt, and its leaders terrified that its population will eventually take to the streets. Long before it becomes a "superpower," it will crumble.

another wet dream. keep masturbating son.

  • Like 1

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...