Comments on: The US, China, and the World http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/ Intellectual blogging since 2007 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:53:29 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Jesse http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-2169 Jesse Fri, 21 Mar 2008 19:43:31 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-2169 a unified west is very dangerous. don't you see what's going with NATO? we do not need war or the threat of between the west and east. this is not condusive to peace but is antecedent to major conflict and world war. watch the news and tell me you see "good reports" in the MSM with respect to Russia and China. combine the buildup of NATO even more, the middle east powder keg, and anti russian/chinese sentiment and you've got a recipe for disaster. a unified west is very dangerous.
don’t you see what’s going with NATO?
we do not need war or the threat of between the west and east.
this is not condusive to peace but is antecedent to major conflict and world war.

watch the news and tell me you see “good reports” in the MSM with respect to Russia and China. combine the buildup of NATO even more, the middle east powder keg, and anti russian/chinese sentiment and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

]]> By: S.C. Denney http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1935 S.C. Denney Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:10:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1935 To be quite honest, I can't say for sure. But keeping in line with "free-market" ideology it would "make economic sense" to trade with the nation that will provide you with the best incentives. Will China ever be able to provide the best incentives for the Asian Tigers? Perhaps.<br/><br/>Although the predictions fair well for China in the foreseeable economic future, it really discounts the absolutely horrid environmental conditions the Chinese industry sector is inflicting upon the infrastructure and the people.<br/><br/>Globalization is another factor left out or downplayed (perhaps with the exception of Ikenberry). A unified west would do much to alter the course taken by a rising China. To be quite honest, I can’t say for sure. But keeping in line with “free-market” ideology it would “make economic sense” to trade with the nation that will provide you with the best incentives. Will China ever be able to provide the best incentives for the Asian Tigers? Perhaps.

Although the predictions fair well for China in the foreseeable economic future, it really discounts the absolutely horrid environmental conditions the Chinese industry sector is inflicting upon the infrastructure and the people.

Globalization is another factor left out or downplayed (perhaps with the exception of Ikenberry). A unified west would do much to alter the course taken by a rising China.

]]> By: David M Manes http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1934 David M Manes Thu, 28 Feb 2008 05:55:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1934 Do you think that the Asian Tigers may intentionally prefer the US over China in trade relations out of ideological reasons? I don't know, they might. But if they are just selling to the US because we are the best customer right now, that could very well change in the future. That would create an interesting dynamic. Do you think that the Asian Tigers may intentionally prefer the US over China in trade relations out of ideological reasons? I don’t know, they might. But if they are just selling to the US because we are the best customer right now, that could very well change in the future. That would create an interesting dynamic.

]]> By: S.C. Denney http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1929 S.C. Denney Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:56:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1929 The increase in trading interplay between China and the 4 Asian Tigers (Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan) could make for an interesting global trade scenario.<br/><br/>As of now the Tigers have maintained their relatively high economic standing by focusing on exports to richer industrialized nations, most notably the United States, and by sustaining a trade surplus with those nations. The increase in trading interplay between China and the 4 Asian Tigers (Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan) could make for an interesting global trade scenario.

As of now the Tigers have maintained their relatively high economic standing by focusing on exports to richer industrialized nations, most notably the United States, and by sustaining a trade surplus with those nations.

]]> By: Chris McNeal http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1928 Chris McNeal Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:44:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1928 Ikenberry made a great point in saying that China, which will certainly pass the United States in GDP, will not pass the OECD in GDP. As a matter of fact, they won't even come close. That said, as long as we maintain healthy relations with our allies and embrace collective security, I don't think China is a big problem. <br/><br/>Many people who say China will be a problem point to the tensions which led to WWI. In that case, you had a multi polar international system in which all great powers distrusted each other. The international system of today is much too different for those comparisons. Countries are much more interdependent and transparent these days.<br/><br/>Others point to the Cold War's bipolar nature. Again, I have problems with this. The volume of trade between our countries is a great safety net for whatever disputes may arise. China is also not out promoting communism around the world. They are much less interventionists than the Soviet Union.<br/><br/>There is one explanation for a great conflict that I think has merit. That is, China's trading partners. Were China to support a country atagonistic to our interests simply because of economic ties, this could lead to a showdown with China. In my mind are Burma, Iran, Sudan and others. China invests lots of money in these countries to facilitate oil infrastructure. Should these countries use the resources from China against us, who knows what could happen.<br/><br/>Maybe I should be a novel writer. That would make a good book. Ikenberry made a great point in saying that China, which will certainly pass the United States in GDP, will not pass the OECD in GDP. As a matter of fact, they won’t even come close. That said, as long as we maintain healthy relations with our allies and embrace collective security, I don’t think China is a big problem.

Many people who say China will be a problem point to the tensions which led to WWI. In that case, you had a multi polar international system in which all great powers distrusted each other. The international system of today is much too different for those comparisons. Countries are much more interdependent and transparent these days.

Others point to the Cold War’s bipolar nature. Again, I have problems with this. The volume of trade between our countries is a great safety net for whatever disputes may arise. China is also not out promoting communism around the world. They are much less interventionists than the Soviet Union.

There is one explanation for a great conflict that I think has merit. That is, China’s trading partners. Were China to support a country atagonistic to our interests simply because of economic ties, this could lead to a showdown with China. In my mind are Burma, Iran, Sudan and others. China invests lots of money in these countries to facilitate oil infrastructure. Should these countries use the resources from China against us, who knows what could happen.

Maybe I should be a novel writer. That would make a good book.

]]> By: S.C. Denney http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1927 S.C. Denney Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:52:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1927 Or we continue along suicidal unilateralism. Or we continue along suicidal unilateralism.

]]> By: S.C. Denney http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1926 S.C. Denney Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:51:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1926 It is perhaps conceivable that China will have some sort of environmental catastrophe, is it not? Say like the contamination of an entire region's drinking water leading to a viral or bacterial endemic, resulting in the death of millions and a destabilization of the already volatile political landscape. See: Tienanmen Square Redux.<br/><br/>Environmental catastrophe aside, it seems like the natural order of things would be for the United States to unit with the rest of the western powers to unite under one economically and ideologically formidable block. It is perhaps conceivable that China will have some sort of environmental catastrophe, is it not? Say like the contamination of an entire region’s drinking water leading to a viral or bacterial endemic, resulting in the death of millions and a destabilization of the already volatile political landscape. See: Tienanmen Square Redux.

Environmental catastrophe aside, it seems like the natural order of things would be for the United States to unit with the rest of the western powers to unite under one economically and ideologically formidable block.

]]> By: David M Manes http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1924 David M Manes Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:14:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1924 As for "meteoric," a crash is a possibility for China. No other nation in the history of the world has grown at the rate that China has been recently. China's bottom line looks very good moving into the future, but that bottom line may betray some underlying crises that are brewing. China's population problems, hyper-urbanization, and environmental destruction may catch up to them and bring them crashing back down.<br/><br/>But that wouldn't be good for anybody, so let's hope that doesn't happen. As for “meteoric,” a crash is a possibility for China. No other nation in the history of the world has grown at the rate that China has been recently. China’s bottom line looks very good moving into the future, but that bottom line may betray some underlying crises that are brewing. China’s population problems, hyper-urbanization, and environmental destruction may catch up to them and bring them crashing back down.

But that wouldn’t be good for anybody, so let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

]]> By: David M Manes http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1923 David M Manes Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:12:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1923 That is exactly what I meant. I didn't mean to assert that the United States invented the concept of the nation-state, but that we initiated most (if not all) of the important international organizations and regimes that exist today. The UN, NATO, IMF, World Bank, WTO, ICJ, and tons of other acronyms. <br/><br/>There is power in those acronyms, though. Through these organizations, conflicts are resolved in alternative ways (as opposed to the good old-fashioned way of just killing people). I like the system and I think it is worth reinforcing for the future. That is exactly what I meant. I didn’t mean to assert that the United States invented the concept of the nation-state, but that we initiated most (if not all) of the important international organizations and regimes that exist today. The UN, NATO, IMF, World Bank, WTO, ICJ, and tons of other acronyms.

There is power in those acronyms, though. Through these organizations, conflicts are resolved in alternative ways (as opposed to the good old-fashioned way of just killing people). I like the system and I think it is worth reinforcing for the future.

]]> By: jkkuwitzky http://politicalcartel.org/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1922 jkkuwitzky Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:05:00 +0000 http://politicalcartel.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/the-us-china-and-the-world/#comment-1922 I would assume that the international system to which David refers to is the postwar economic and collective security regime that broadly governs the affairs of nations today. Westphalia holds the origins of some parts of the modern system, but other parts developed out of the failures of the Westphalian system. Bretton Woods and its aftermath, as well as the UN, are indisputably the product of American interests and actions. I would assume that the international system to which David refers to is the postwar economic and collective security regime that broadly governs the affairs of nations today. Westphalia holds the origins of some parts of the modern system, but other parts developed out of the failures of the Westphalian system. Bretton Woods and its aftermath, as well as the UN, are indisputably the product of American interests and actions.

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