China is the largest country in the world. It’s economy has surpassed France as the fifth largest and before long, China will eclipse even the United States. China is spending billions on science and technology and because of the vastness of its market; foreign investors have flocked to do business in the country, lifting millions of Chinese out of poverty every month. The Chinese government is selling advanced weapons systems to rogue nations and dictators in every corner of the globe.
Now the Chinese are seeking to expand their influence on a global scale. China’s government has sought to promote trade and finance deals around the world from Africa to Latin America and throughout the Asia Pacific region. As a result of China’s efforts, the authoritarian behemoth is seen as benign, while the US is seen as a global threat. Why?
Chinese leaders have no interest in encouraging democracy or spreading freedom around the world. Indeed, it would be counterproductive for the Chinese to advance the concept of representative government as it would threaten the stranglehold China’s leaders have. They are interested solely in financial prosperity. So far this strategy has proven successful and through a combination of political ruthlessness and economic liberalization the communist government continues to distract the Chinese people from the fact that they lack even basic freedoms of speech, religion, press, etc…While China continues to invest in business, industry and infrastructure throughout the developing world, its influence continues to grow, in some cases at the expense of the United States.
The US, however, isn’t the only country to take notice. India, another rapidly expanding nation, has looked on China with envious eyes as China secures one trade deal after another. Through expanded trade, nations like China gain access to a wealth of resources to fuel its ever-expanding economy, which threaten America’s dependence on same resources. Its time America takes notice, before another set of tyrants, this time in Beijing begin dictating terms to the US.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4619956.stm
