The Problem of China's Rise

            Though the United States is faced with a multitude of pressures and threats every single day, in my opinion the biggest threat to United States global influence and dominance is the rise of China.  There is no doubt that for the past multiple decades, the United States has been the world’s great power. Three of the most important factors in determining a great power are the economic strength, military prowess and international influence that a state has. Whether it is through its influence in international affairs, the powerful economy or the dominating military presence, the United States has been second to none on the global power scale. However, since its massive economic growth in the last twenty years, China is not far behind the United States in all three of these categories. 

            In terms of the economic strength of both states, it is clear that even though China has not surpassed the US economy, it is extremely close. Since the year 1990, China’s growth in GDP has surpassed 10%, making it the second highest GDP in the world. Furthermore, in world projections, it is estimated that by the year 2030, China and the United States would be exactly even in their GDP levels. That being said, one of the major advantages that the US had over China, the economy, would be taken out of the picture. Without this economic advantage over China, the US would be left as the second most powerful country in the world, weakening its international influence and probably causing some form of lost trade agreements. It’s not only a matter of GDP levels or the economic power of the two nations, but also about the crippling debt that the US owes to China. It is believed that the US owes over 1 trillion dollars in debt to China based on purchasing products and the cheap labor that the Chinese provide. In this sense, if China ever decided to come collect their payments, it would severely cripple the US economy, and would lead to severe animosity between the two countries. China’s rise goes beyond economic power and into international influences, which have been on the rise for China. According to a Forbes article, “as its GDP, China has become more assertive regarding international issues.” With increased economic power, China now has the ability to not only influence international issues, but also be a dominating presence, the way the US has done in the past. If China is able to have significant influence over international issues, then what separates the United States from China? The US has always taken pride in its ability to support international conflicts, and alter circumstances for other nations, but they would lose that power if China keeps developing the way it does.

            If the United States wants to remain the world’s great power, they need to place further focus on countering China’s quick rise. Though it is unclear how the US should try and stop the rapid development of another country, it is without question that something needs to be done. One thing that the US may want to do is work on cutting the incredible amount of debt they have with China. Eradicating some of this massive debt would not only get the US out of China’s pocket, but it would also give them more freedom to develop and improve the economy. Furthermore, the US can show the world that they still are the world leader in international issues. Having strong opinions, and involving themselves in considerable issues, such as ISIS or Syria, would show the world that the US is still the powerful influence that it has always been. Regardless of the policies that the United States decides to take on, it is clear that something has to be done to combat the China issue.

Yew, Lee Kuan. “China's Rise: A Shift in Global Influence.” Forbes. N.p. 12/02/2010