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We all are only too well aware of China’s incredibly fast-growing economic importance. Cities like Shanghai and Beijing are being transformed into glittering urban giants: the barely known western Chinese city of Chongqing sports more people than the population of Canada. But the world’s most populous nation is now also beginning to flex its other muscles, and the western powers are beginning to take notice of a country that now has staggering military capabilities, an adroit and aggressive program of foreign diplomacy, a carefully selected network of friends and allies. What does it all mean? Is China seeking to topple America from its perch as the world’s only superpower? And if it does succeed, what are the implications, good and bad?

Napoleon once famously remarked that China is like a sleeping giant – do not wake her, for when she wakes the whole world will tremble? Is fear the right response – or should we welcome China’s ascendancy, giving balance to the running of the world?
Yahoo! Canada Answers Staff note: Author Simon Winchester has travelled the four corners of the world as a newspaper correspondent, but his favourite destination is China. Find out more about his latest book, The Man Who Loved China, here: http://www.harpercollins.ca/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060884592

Hi, I am a Chinese American and a naturalized American Citizen. I was born in China and grew up there. I now travel there almost yearly and I have seen China grow from old to modern. I think there are more misunderstanding between the west and growing China than there are really threats and tensions that you might hear more often. At this point, China isn’t looking to rule the world because she knows it’ll get her in direct conflict with the United States. I mean, its been "isolated" for the past 150 years and pushed around. Ever since the Opium War and the 8 country alliance attack on Qing Dynasty, China has been incredibly weak and isolated in the modern developing world. In world war II, she was invaded by Japan, and after that, suffered tremendously from the cultural revolution. So China’s had a huge journey. Within the last 30 years, more than 300 million people have been brought out of poverty (thats the population of the US right now). These economic changes were made possible because of Deng Xiao Ping’s opening of China in 1979. Every year I go back to China, the country has changed in a very dramatic way from the year before. 10 years ago, private family cars were literally no where to be found, today, tens of thousands of private cars are hitting the road every day. 20 years ago, you couldn’t buy your house, it wasn’t given to you by the government. Today, you can buy hundred million dollar penthouses in Shanghai or a cheap 2nd hand commie block apartment. These have been incredible changes, giving China new economic powers that it NEVER had. With these changes, I think many developed nations became worried because they see China has a growing threat to their power and domination. They accuse China of stealing their business, their labor force and etc(which to a certain degree is true). Then there are the military aspects. China’s military up until a decade ago were still using Soviet Migs from the Korean War. Their military consist of little technology and their space program was still in development. In many aspects, their military is pretty obsolete compared to ANY European nation. China understood that in order to become a modern 1st world country, it had to have a modern 1st world hi-tech military. Thus it started buying Russian Aircraft and military hardware (it had a weapons embargo from Europe because of the Tiananmen incident). Maybe what I say is biased but it makes sense that a country that wants to be modern in terms of social and economic means would ALSO want defense capability that would also match that. Many would argue that its military budget is beyond what China needs. But I would say, look at Japan, she’s not even suppose to have a REAL military yet her defense budget is one of the highest in the world and not too behind China. Look at Britain, she’s probably at least 15 times smaller than China yet her budget is about the same as China with much more advance military hardware and technology. Look at ANY european nation, and their military would be more advanced than China’s. China is one of the largest countries in the world, with LONGER borders than any other countries, and also the most populated in the world. I personally don’t think its strange that she has a rather large military budget. Her defense budget is still less than 12 times less than the United States (and thats assuming that she spends more than she reports). I just don’t think that its fair to say China’s military is ‘threatening" because many smaller nations have a defense budget over 10 fold of that of China proportionately. Why don’t the critics point to Japan? (they’re not even suppose to have a full on military). Yet they have one of the highest defense budgets in the world and arguably one of the most technologically most advanced militaries. Also, I think the whole China is trying to "topple" the United States theory as bogus. When I went to China to talk to people, they all told me that they feel that its the United States and the west who want to "topple" China from her new found power and success. I personally think that is a huge misunderstanding on their part as well. At the same time, the west thinks China wants to intentionally change the sphere of influence. I think what China really wants is to become a modern 1st world nation, and she knows the last thing that she would want to do is by trying to intentionally using military and aggressive means to win that goal.

Well… they do have an impressive financial reserve, surplus and domestic market. Whatever value judgments might be made of them on sociopolitical grounds are irrelevant. They are one of the many developing countries who have been subsidising the American Good Life for many years… and have suffered losses for it… so who can blame them for taking advantage of their own frugality and self preservation in the current climate? Yes… it might be a very good time to set aside our prejudices and become better negotiators with our creditors.

I need to know the richest and the poorest countries in the world.

Looking at GDP will answer that question.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)

The US is Number 1 and Kiribati is the poorest

some thoughts?

not good but growing

Im applying for a scholarship and they asked for family income. My mom wrote down $45k. I know my dad used to make $250k but he passed last year. With the current income we get, do you think I have a good chance of winning this scholarship on an economic level? Or is our family income normal?

its about normal?
i think
my family only made 4K last year, not even kidding.

Don’t listen to the first few answers, they’re on an Obama-high. I would stock up on food, ammo, and other necessities because we are headed for an economic doomsday.

i cant seem to find it regardless of how much i search.
a source would be helpful

the forum is made up of companies rather than countries, so they’re not.

"Members comprise in principle the foremost 1,000 global enterprises. Characteristics of Members include:

· Their rank among the top companies within their industry and/or country
· The global dimension of their activities
· A leading role in shaping the future of their industry and/or region"

I only know America unemployment Rate gone from 8% to 10%.

to me, Obama is the DISASTER.
Look, folks! I can see Michael J is just another typcial Obama Supporter. Still blaming on Bush.

so How is Governor Corzine doing in NJ now? he will be the first one to lose his job this year!

Obama is a marionette that does its puppeteer’s every move and instruction. The puppeteers are big bankers.

Should the world leaders start passing law against greedism?
Are you a greedy person?
How do you define greed?
What can you do to stop greed?

No.

What is going on with our economy and who is really responsible?

You Have The Right To Remain Silent.
But We Hope You Won’t.

FOR MORE TRUTH, VISIT:
www.puppetgov.com
www.infowars.com

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