Ever since the People’s Republic of China (PRC) opened
itself in 1978, it has continued to amaze the world with its nonstop growth and
modernization. It is nearly unfathomable that the sprawling metropolises of
today’s China, large concrete jungle’s housing the urbanites of the world’s most
populated country, sprouted almost overnight from dusty dirt roads utilized
only a generation prior. This modern success owes itself mainly to the ingenuity
of Deng Xiaoping, in undertaking the task of thrusting China into the
industrial age. Opening the country to foreign investment, Deng shifted the nations
focus from self-sustainment to the exportation of goods.
But now, once again China has come across another crossroad.
With the increased industrialization
of South-East Asia, the Middle Kingdom has begun to feel the pressures of
the basic rules of capitalism China itself relied on to bring itself into the
21st century. The PRC, as shown in its 12th
Five-year Plan, has decided to
change gears completely, switching their focus from cheap global exports to
domestic consumption. Since it is becoming increasingly difficult to compete
with the cheaper production costs of it’s southern neighbors, China now wants
to invest in higher
value commodities, such as alternatively fueled automobiles, biotechnology,
and aviation.
The biggest roadblock to China completing its arduous task of
introducing almost half of it population to the modern age, is one that has
once again forced China to open itself more to International trade relations.
Domestically, it lacks the
natural resources required to sustain its ginormous population and ambitious
dreams. China, the once self-proclaimed center of the Earth, the country that
once laughed at the inadequate gifts of the British Empire, claiming to already
have all she needed within her borders, has now begun to search far and wide
for the metals and natural gases needed to continue her quest for the title of “World
Superpower”.
Due to the late hour in which it is entering the race, China
has resorted to investing in areas where the West
deems too dangerous for stable investments or is not welcomed altogether.
These areas include the war-torn countries of Eastern Africa, as well as Middle-eastern
countries which have become weary of the West. While some view the emergence of
new markets as healthy economic competition, it can also be seen as the start
of the US losing its influence on the world abroad. While it cannot be
determined whether this move will affect the global community for better or for
worse, there is one thing we can be certain of, global politics of the 21st
Century will be drastically different from that of the previous one.
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