China and US can escape trap of past great power conflict

[ZhengHe]

Historically, there are many precedent examples of newly emerging powers challenging established hegemonies.

Some international scholars think that China is most likely to challenge the US in the future.

According to a survey carried out by the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2008 among 300 strategic experts in nine Asian countries, 65.5 percent of those surveyed believed that China would become the world's most powerful country in 10 years.

Recent polls show that 75 percent of ordinary Americans believe the rise of China is the greatest challenge the US faces. Given the historical precedents, US anxiety seems reasonable.

However, history does not simply repeat itself. And great power conflict is not the destiny of Sino-US relations.


China and US can escape trap of past great power conflict - GlobalTimes

 

[Chogy]

China and the U.S. are too inextricably tied economically to make open conflict anything other than economic suicide.

The U.S. did fine before 1945 when it was less powerful than other nations. If it happens again, we'll also be fine.

 

[anon45]

China and the U.S. are too inextricably tied economically to make open conflict anything other than economic suicide.

The U.S. did fine before 1945 when it was less powerful than other nations. If it happens again, we'll also be fine.

true enough, it might even be seen as a liberation of sorts from the duties our country has seen as the responsibility of the dominant power. Would much rather like to leave the stability of the world to another responsible country and focus on research, the economy, and space. The problem is if we leave will others see the broader duties as their responsibility?

During the US' time as the dominant power the world has without a doubt benefitted in the raising of the overall quality of life, Human rights in many places, uncounted millions being lifted out of poverty, and an overall rising of global trade making true war ever more difficult to comprehend (well nukes help).

Zheng He: Certainly a rising China is the greatest challenge America faces, but it is also true that a majority of American would rather be friends with China. Hopefully time and outreach from both sides will heal the open wounds between us, and trade between our countries will equalize as the standard of living and wages in China rises.

 

[HongWu]

There is no short-cut to great-powerdom. Great powers are forged from war.

For China, the only question is the scale of the conflict and the adversary. Best possible situation for China is to pick a relatively weak and backward adversary and beat it in a short, decisive, limited war.

 

[CardSharp]

China and the U.S. are too inextricably tied economically to make open conflict anything other than economic suicide.

The U.S. did fine before 1945 when it was less powerful than other nations. If it happens again, we'll also be fine.

I certainly hope so but I doubt everyone feels that way. President Obama give a speech recently defending American exceptionalism and saying that American will not be #2

true enough, it might even be seen as a liberation of sorts from the duties our country has seen as the responsibility of the dominant power. Would much rather like to leave the stability of the world to another responsible country and focus on research, the economy, and space. The problem is if we leave will others see the broader duties as their responsibility?

I hope you don't think China will take up the role of world policemen. China has never been an interventionist country and has always had to tendency to look inwards. Though I can see China playing a bigger role in working within the UN from a multi-lateral approach.