Tilak Jha
Why is the ‘peaceful’ rise of the Middle Kingdom a fiercely debated topic?

Beijing’s assertiveness is not simply about its effort to have its rightful place in the world. It’s about establishing military ‘supremacy’, technological ‘superiority’ and economic ‘hegemony’. Interestingly, the dimensions of supremacy, superiority and hegemony do not apply to the Chinese context literally alone per se.

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The confusion is not about the rise of China but about what China wants to do with its enhanced status? What will it do with the military, technological and economic might it is furiously trying to acquire?

The jury remains out as far as predicting the Chinese plans are concerned.

Too many questions!

Does China want to settle its borders on its own terms with all its neighbours including India and Japan? Is China simply looking for opportunities to better the lives of its own people? Or will China be happy to have a global role; lending sail for the rest of the world’s economy, politics and resulting conflicts?

The questions are many. But the only answer we get every next time question is a new question.

[Photo Credit: www.proactiveinvestors.co.uk] (Can China make the world laugh with it?)

How responsible China will be, if it is to ever come anywhere close to the USA’s 20th Century global standing? In that case, will China be playing a mediator’s role in conflicts of Israel-Palestine or in its own backyard in the Korean Peninsula? Or will China opt for peaceful ways of resolving its border dispute with India and reconcile with the Tibetans?

The lone answer China has to all these questions as of now is growth.

It’s a very effective answer in the short term. China has not witnessed any major unrest after the Tiananmen Square massacre in the Chinese heartland. The only reason behind this is the scorching growth it has been able to register. The relentless rise and rise of China has brought millions of people out of poverty in China.

The ideological umbrella

At all points in the history of the world, the rise of a power is almost always accompanied by a new order of values. In case of the USA and the USSR it was capitalism and socialism respectively. Similarly, the rise of Britain and France in the 17th Century came with the idea of democracy, rule of law and Renaissance. These were values which advocated emancipation of humanity.

Though all of these ideals were full of flaws and were selectively implemented to suit national interest, still there was a semblance of values that bind.

What will be the Chinese wisdom for the world? What idea of China will inspire the men sitting along the fence? Probably China needs to be concerned most about such an umbrella of thought that will get it the respect and faith of mankind.

Beyond growth

When China will be the largest economy of the world, which is not far either (According to a Price Waterhouse Coopers estimate in January this year, China could overtake the United States to become the world’s largest economy as early as 2020), it will have to think of something that will inspire Chinism. It is also true that the Chinese can’t grow for ever at such ferocious pace. But what next? Will growth alone get China or a Chinese the respect of the world community?

We know from Chinese posturing over last decade that now Chinese are ready to explore military options to ensure safety of its business interests. It would happily send its army to secure its oil tankers across the Indian Ocean, if needed.

China has also been building parliaments in Malawi and Lesotho. China is building ports and roads in Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

If we ignore the strategic angle of these projects for the time being, these are great steps in nation building. But does China see it that way? At present more people seem to be uncomfortable with any similar idea. According to East Asia survey 2008 by East Asia Institute, almost 77 percent people in the developed world are uncomfortable with the idea of China being a leader in Asia. The stats in the developing world and especially China’s neighbouring countries are not very different. Will they be comfortable with China as a world leader?

The inference we can draw is that the rise of China is simply not ‘peaceful’.

Precisely this is what China needs to address.

 

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