What does Chinese Global Conduct Indicate about China's Strategy - Dissertation Example

What does Chinese global conduct indicate about Chinas grand strategy? Introduction Since the late 1990s the active international cooperation of China caused debates in the USA regarding PRC’s intentions and goals. This international engagement became even deeper while America was busy with its military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. And today Congress as well as many leading politicians, expresses concern that growing China’s influence may negatively affect the U.S. economy and strategic interests. It is well known that from time to time abrupt political shifts occur in the PRC system. Still there are some key objectives which determine the foreign policy of Beijing. Among them we can see the aim to promote Chinese economy to maintain its double annual growth; an effort to separate Taiwan; the wish to increase the international prestige of China and efficiently compete with the supremacy of the USA. To achieve these objectives in recent years China has concluded a number of bilateral partnerships and agreements, joined or increased its activity in numerous international organizations and established a few organizations, which are not participated by the USA. In some points China’s approach in policy has several advantages compared with that of the USA. Beijing provides “unrestricted” nature for overseas investments and loans, which is very attractive for foreign governments. Large state-owned Chinese companies are so strongly supported by their government that they can even afford small short-term losses in favor of prospective long-term profits (Boxell, 2004). However, there are weak points in China’s approach in comparison with the USA. Due to China’s “win-win” method dealing first with easy problems and putting off the more complicated ones, its foreign development policy has a much narrower base. China actively gets and develops the international presence, while this brings a lot of unexpected issues, for example, “it provides many opportunities for international misunderstanding and cultural conflicts” (Ellis, 2004). And lastly, in contrast to the USA, China does not benefit from well-developed private sector. However, it is clear that China’s growing international cooperation not only with undemocratic governments but also with key U.S. allies gives reasons to focus the attention on its foreign policy objectives. The convincing argument for this is the fact that since its foundation in 1949 the PRC has greatly changed its foreign policy having shifted from the Mao Zedong’s policy of “self-reliance” to deep and wide multinational relations. Already in 1978, two years after Mao’s death China actively started looking for foreign presence, investments and technologies. Since 2000 China’s diplomacy became particularly sophisticated and active (Ellis, 2004). China’s “New Security Concept” This report would not be complete without mentioning some important changes in security policy of China. China’s politicians stress that in post-Cold War world the PRC’s security policy is based on “mutual trust, mutual equality, and cooperation”. Accordingly, today China does its best to assure the world that its economy, international development and military potential do not threaten to other countries and serve to balance the power of the USA (Goldstein, 2005). It is difficult to define the PRC’s security policy precisely; it neither spreads its ideology, nor aggressively demands for new territories. However, it is undoubtedly that it represents a challenge to policymakers of the USA and raises many unanswered questions: does China’s global activity have a pragmatic strategy or it is just aimed to achieve economic advantages? Does China intend to replace the USA as a global power or it just focuses on internal development? Does China feel confident and strong or uncertain and weak? The “Soft Power” Concept First the term of “soft power” was used by Harvard professor Joseph S. Nye, Jr. as opposite to “hard power” embodied in military force. In his book Soft Power he says: “The Means to Success in World Politics — partly, from the frustration of watching some policymakers ignore the importance of our soft power and make us all pay the price by unnecessarily squandering it” (Nye, 2004). According to Nye, soft power is extremely very important in modern politics. “Soft power rests on the ability to shape the preferences of others.... [It] is the ability to get what you want through attraction rather than coercion or payments. It arises from the attractiveness of a country’s culture, political ideals, and policies. When our policies are seen as legitimate in the eyes of others, our soft power is enhanced. America has long had a great deal of soft power” (Nye, 2004). Besides, “attractiveness” of country’s policy some add to the notion of the “soft power” other factors, such as foreign investments and trade practices, diplomatic and cultural activities, humanitarian aid, tourism, travel and education. Judging by these factors, American global power is still huge but there is another point of view, which says that in the 21st century America has lost most of its soft power. As Nye himself puts it: “Anti-Americanism has increased in recent years and the United States’ soft power... is in decline as a result....” (Nye, 2004). Presumptive Goals of PRC’s Foreign Policy In frames of debates about presumptive goals of China’s foreign policy experts determine a few key ones, although at times they seem to be contradictive: 1. Maintenance of economic growth. One of the most vivid objectives of China is strong economic development, which implies raising of living standards, sustaining the regime after falling of Communist ideology. This rapid growth created great internal demand for resources, technologies and capital and “external demand for Chinese goods, which have served as strong drivers of China’s international trade and investments” (Nye, 2004). 2. Limiting Taiwan’s international space. China actively uses economic, resource-related as well as diplomatic measures trying to leave Taiwan without its international relations. China considers Taiwan to be a part of its sovereign territories. As a result of China’s actions during the last three years Taiwan has lost four of its diplomatic relationships including its official relations with Malawi. 3. Maintaining regional and international balance. According to its goals, China pays particular attention to sustaining “an international environment”. China demonstrates that its economic growth is an opportunity but not a threat for its neighbors. For this many forms are used. China tries to settle outstanding international conflicts, participates in international organizations and joins anti-terror activities. Another form of maintaining a peaceful environment is keeping stable relations with the USA, China’s biggest export market. 4. Growing global influence and competing for domination. After many years of international isolation one of the main objectives of China’s leaders is supposed to be expanding China’s influence all over the world and limiting where possible the U.S. influence and interference into China’s affairs. Having entered the diplomatic international relations rather late, China looks for various international partnerships to become a player of the global politics. Beijing is looking for opportunities and areas already occupied by the USA, which give a greater freedom of actions. For this China acts through the bilateral initiatives, existing multilateral organizations (among them there are APEC, ASEAN Regional Forum, Forum for East Asia and Latin American Cooperation, Organization of American States), new multilateral institutions (East Asia Summit, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Forum). Advantages of China’s “Soft Power” When you are reading press or travelling it seems that China is everywhere. Some are tempted to alarm about growing power of the PRC and weakening of the USA. They stress that in some areas China’s “soft power” is more competitive and efficient that American political system and values. Some consider that soft policy of the PRC has a brighter prospective in contemporary global economy. A closer look at the aspects of China’s policy shows that it has weak points as well. “No strings” PRC’s trade and investment policy is attractive due to the fact that money is usually invested without any government requirements, restrictions, human rights conditions and environmental quality norms, which are the characteristic of the USA and other Western countries. However this “hands-off” policy may have potentially negative influence. The Benefits of State-owned Assets The PRC’s investment activity is supported by its state-owned sector authorized by China’s government. These corporations are not transparent, they work without any restrictions and issuing annual reports. While American investment corporation lack government support and have to report before the shareholders, the PRC’s ones can take the long-term strategic view and are not pressed to demonstrate short-term profits. However, here there are also negative features as China’s state-owned companies, which do not have the inherent discipline, sometimes have to refuse from getting profits in order to improve the contractual relationships and provide future contracts. Limitations on China’s Soft Power Despite of all the advantages, the PRC “soft power” policy has its complications and limitations that prevent China from too active expansion. Awareness of these may make the U.S. response more efficient. 1. U.S. positions. Despite of the fact that China has achieved great success in developing its international relationships they cannot be compared with the stable and long-term global involvement of the USA. Very often Beijing has to accommodate itself with stronger American participation. For example, a study of U.N. voting records shows that dependence of a country on trade with the PRC does not prevent this country from voting against China’s interests in the United Nations (Bates, 2007). 2. Narrow base of China’s accomplishments. Having a lot of advantages, the PRC “win-win” policy has at the same time many weak points as it allows focusing on the issues, which can be supposedly agreed by the sides. Besides, as it has already been mentioned, the lack of transparency in China always causes doubts on whether the great scope of aid and investments announced by the PRC corporations corresponds to those allocated. For example, initially China reported that its financial aid for Indonesia and other states influences by the 2004 tsunami amounted to $63 million compared to 405$ pledged by the USA, however later it was announced that this figure reaches only 22.6$ million (Bates, 2007). 3. Complications of international presence. Even taking into account all the advantages of “win-win strategy” it is very complicated to get and maintain active international presence. Among other things, it gives reasons for cultural misunderstandings, murders, kidnappings and other criminal situations. This also raises political problems at home. Cell phone and Internet getting more and more popular in China providing its citizens with information including that of China’s international affairs. The fact that the PRC invests millions of dollars into foreign projects while at home a significant part of the population lives under the line of poverty may cause numerous local conflicts (Bates, 2007). Influence on U.S. interests It is quite possible to assume that China’s international activities are a natural country’s position according to its peaceful global strategy. Besides, China’s economic growth can be so efficient only under the condition of preserving the existing state of things, when the USA is the chief architect. That is why many experts think that China’s economic growth is not so dangerous for the USA, which should encourage the PRC to become the part of the international system. Others think that growing international muscle of Chinese will not only compete but also limit the U.S. freedom of international activity. They note that China’s presence in Latin America and the Caribbean can significantly strengthen anti-American political leaders. Besides, in the event of military conflicts between these two countries China’s armed forces located in Latin America can disrupt and distract the United States’ forces. This is why growing China’s influence and economical growth raises a number of challenges and questions for the policymakers in the USA. Some of them include: How will the USA deal with the growing role of the PRC in terms of current U.S. relations with its strategic allies, where the influence of the USA is still dominant? How can the PRC’s unrestricted investments influence on the efforts of the USA to limit corruption and encourage proper governance all around the world? What are the implications for global goals of the USA and for such institutions as the World Bank and the IMF, in the event China starts offering less expensive international loans? How great are the prospects of China – American military conflict under the conditions of increasing expansion of the PRC’s naval and military potential aimed to help realize its aims? What policies should be prepared by the USA to get ready for increasing China-American competition in the areas of space exploration, energy resources and international commodities? What will be the result of Taiwan’s loss of the rest of its diplomatic relations for the USA? Should the USA play more active role trying to improve the international status of Taiwan? Options If the policymakers in the USA come to a conclusion that China’s growing international role poses a threat for the U.S. international influence and power, there is a lot of policy options that might be considered. Some of them include: 1. Strengthening of the global engagement of the USA. In Asia this could imply active participation in creating of political and economical architectures. In Africa this could include more efficient partnership in trade and military relations. The USA could also take a more active position trying to solve international conflicts and global problems, such as health care, promoting alternative energy sources, raising agricultural potential, developing education and HR training. Besides, America could try to encourage a better cooperation between China, Russia and the EU to develop the independence and security of these countries. 2. Encourage the PRC’s Greater Transparency and Good Governance. This may include: Help improve the legislation in the areas where the PRC has business and political interests. Encouraging China to participate in multilateral donor and foreign assistance institutions to increase the strength of each donor. Offering efficient partnership and collaboration to China aimed to increase efficiency of its foreign aid system. 4. Influence America’s power over China. Under the conditions of lack of clearness in the PRC the USA can take efforts to improve its knowledge on the subject and getting more information necessary to analyze its relations with China. This can be done by maintaining accurate calculus on China’s assistance and investments; re-considering of current “golden standards” in Free Trade Agreements; increasing the volumes of assistance and investments into the developing countries; controlling China’s efforts to separate Taiwan from its diplomatic partners (Lee, 2004). Conclusion China represents an alternative to American model of liberal democracy with its capitalism incorporated into socialism frame. Still it has to demonstrate acceptable human right to the world. Like a new century opens with all its opportunities, the PRC starts demonstrating its global power and huge potentials. To see this it is just necessary to consider its dimensions: “this is an enormous country with the largest population in the world and its economy is among the worlds fastest growing” (Xing, 2006). It is expected to become the largest by the year 2025. It is great also from the historical point of view. It is well-known that India and China represent two greatest civilizations on the territory of Asia. However, it has three main competitions on the continent such as Russia, Europe and the Unites States of America. Great powers are “really global powers with huge economic and security interdependence - must concert together as much as compete” (Lee, 2004). The world cannot operate as a zero-sum game. And from this point of view China’s rise can be considered as a great contribution into global assets. Therefore, we prove that the international system is thus “better served when rise of China becomes probable” (Lee, 2004). References Bates, Gill 2007, Rising Star: China’s New Security Diplomacy, Brookings Institution Press, Washington, DC. Nye, Jr., Joseph S 2004, Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics, Public Affairs, NY, , p. XI. Goldstein, Avery 2005, Rising to the Challenge: China’s Grand Strategy and International Security, Stanford University Press. Xing, Zhigang 2006, “China pledges to increase humanitarian aid,” China Daily, January 19. Lee, Don 2004, “China Barrels Ahead in Oil Market...,” Los Angeles Times, November 14, . Boxell, James 2005, “Circle Oil in Dollars 50m Africa Drilling Deal with Chinese Group,”Financial Times (London edition), January 28, , p. 25. “Russia plans natural gas pipeline to China” 2006, Associated Press, March 21,. Ellis, Evan R 2007, “The Military-Strategic Dimensions of Chinese Initiatives in Latin America,” China-Latin America Task Force, Center for Hemispheric Policy, University of Miami, February 16. Read More