GOOD MORNING FROM LONDON
The rise of China is best expressed in the number of different issues that regularly feature prominently in the Western media; AUKUS Nuclear Submarine Initiative; Taiwan + Taiwan Straits; Hong Kong Prosperity and the new Security Law; S China Sea Tensions; China + Covid 19; China and Debt/Evangrande; China and the Belt+Road Initiative; China Biden + Trump; China + Democracy; China + the Uyghurs; China + the Developing World; The China/Russia growing Partnership. The list is considerable and it is expanding for the simple reason that China is growing in significance, influence and consequence to the future development of the World.
We live in the Present but so many of the actions that are taken are for the Future – tomorrow not today. And as we view China, we need to weigh the changes in the balance of power and the rise and fall of strong powers. They come and they go. They enjoy periods of prosperity, power and influence and then find themselves overtaken by new and rising powers who in time, themselves, will be challenged by new powers. Looking ahead can we see the rise of Nigeria, India and a new Asia grouping embracing the large populations of Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines?
Today China is the focus of interest for two reasons. First China was always meant to fail (the West wrongly predicted) and, increasingly, developing countries will examine the China model of development with a view to incorporating features of its development – especially prosperity, harmony and constancy.
Any country that challenged the pre-eminent position of the US would encounter opposition. China represents a bigger threat because it is a Socialist Country led by a Communist Party that is offering a different blueprint. China will feature more, and not less, as it moves to become the biggest economic power in the world.
