RISE AND RISE OF CHINA( Updated)

\

By K P PASWAN

Napoleon once roared "I am the revolution " but he destroyed revolution, next he denounced Great Britain as a nation of shop keepers. But the nation of shopkeepers colonized more than half of this planet In the first decade of 21st century, the same Great Britain became fifth economic power of the world. 

 Now enters USA, a country of legal or illegal immigrants from all over the world.  Smugglers,  hardened criminals, drugs traffickers and money launderers from neighboring countries self smuggled to USA in search of better life.  

CHINA.

China has never been declared a nation of opium eaters, even though Opium war was fought in China, but now this country is a formidable rival of USA in  economic affairs. China is  ruled by a nasty   overambitious  politician Xi Jinping who  is devoting most of his political energy to ensuring that his ideology  prevail in the country This, if you like  call it as democratic recommendation.  Xijinping is struggling with widespread  passive resistance to his economic reforms.

GOLDEN HANDSHAKE.

  Structural change in Chinese politics coupled with extraordinary economic reform are being attributed to Richard Nixon's visit to China on 21st Feb 1972.

In 1971, in the month of Feb the than US president visited China, and  had a closed door meeting with Mao Zedong. Nixon was accompanied by Henry Kissinger. William Rogers the secretary of state was kept outside of the meeting. This surprised even the Mandarins. William Rogers had his own opinion and after Dean Rusk is regarded as one of the most talented Secretary of State of America.Any way after meeting with ageing Mao, Nixon proudly declared ‘The world has changed’. He was right, in the course of time China became America’s number one strategic concern, Henry Kissinger was afraid of economic threat, posed by Japan. and needed partners not only to counter USSR but also Japan and India.

 Surprisingly meeting between two adversaries Nixon and Mao was facilitated by Pakistan. After a gap of fifty years, China as a fastest economic and military power could become a menace if China remains unchecked. The duo Nixon and Kissinger started a new era, ending an era of conflicts and ending the dream of than USSR to rule the world and above all ending political isolation of China. Jimmy Carter established diplomatic relationship with China, opening the door for Chinese. Richard Nixon is no longer, but Henry Kissinger in his late 90s is more popular in China than late Mao.

Joe Biden.

In the month of Jan 2021, new occupant of the Oval Office saw China in the hands of capitalists masqueraded as communists. But there is a not subtle but wide difference. In China if there are 100 coffins than 99 are for corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, just opposite to countries with an open democracy. Biden’s aim is to ensure that China plays by democratic rules/values but an honest XiJingpin,  if even slightly adopt or follows undefined democratic rules than nothing prevents CHINA  going to pre FEB 71, when the hard core and corrupt communists were looting the country. Unlike China, USSR, instead of achieving economic parity with USA, it became a power in space, ignoring half starved people on the surface. China pursuing European model of market is clearly eyeing to rule and dictate the economy of the world, so long as other nations like a vibrant Japan, a new India and Brazil don’t pose danger to its dream. Bilateral relations with US remains volatile punctuated by crushing pro democracy demonstrations in Hongkong and threat to invade Taiwan.

 China’s huge trade surplus with US and export of missiles technology to Iran and Pakistan are matter of concern. An open democracy is imperative for economic growth, but China is not a democratic country. We must not forget that the USA in 1970s feared that USSR would be ruling the world as the later achieved nuclear and military capacity at per with USA. So not a real military war, but a cold war started  and inaugurated jointly by these two countries. The USSR, ruled by Stalin was denounced as iron curtain from which nothing escapes. But consistency is not a strong point in international politics. USSR collapsed, communism disappeared and modern Russia emerged.  China became another  iron curtain . A failed ideology Communism became umbrella of Chinese capitalists reared and educated in America.

End of Mao's Era.

China is not poised to return to central planning reminiscent of Mao’s era.  XiJinping is also not likely to be airbrushed as was seen in the case of his predecessor. In the last fifty years China has changed faster than any nation. Economic has lifted hundred of millions out of poverty and above all Communist party has oscillated. between moment of cutting edge  ambition and old style ideological control and Corruption. Wuhan virus has savagely mauled American and EU economy, but both EU and the US are pathetically  reluctant to clamp even mild  sanctions.

 China must be punished even if  punishment is unlikely to change its ways.China could be guided gradually  towards political openness and economic sanity. America' good relations with China, are  worth sacrificing  for the bigger aim of preventing  a chain reaction of proliferation across south east Asia.

HATED LEADERS.

We have seen leaders of underdeveloped countries now being eyed by China, meet at regular interval, however these leaders are unpopular in their own countries.  These under developed nations, now friends of China, are suffering from rising prices, slower economic growth and sharp decline in their national power. Complex fragmented  domestic politics are capable of  combining their diverse national assets diplomatic, militarily, and humanitarian to pursue their interests beyond their shores.

 But why these under developed nations? It is so because political and economic corruption. Corrupt politician once in power with enough resources at his/her disposal  pay armies, bribes judges,  rig election and even resort mass killing of opponents to stay in power. Building an honest state is hard. China thinks it is the most trustworthy nation in the world and the rest of the world thinks exactly the opposite, China’s overseas economic expansion has given rise to charges of expansionist. 

 In EU and even in Latin America, there is apprehension that cheap Chinese goods   will destroy local business, but there is no alternative readily available to political leadership in these countries.  Stark reality is that Chinese brand is weak not trusted overseas, China’s support of Pakistan and closeness to Iran are  cast not as economic necessities, but a way to counter India. With more than one Trillion in currency reserves, what options remain for Jinjong?He may dream,  to dictate  the world and become living manifestation of destiny, target being USA.