china international influence

Question 1

intro

Answer 1

China experienced many changes in the past thirty years and has largely been focussed on its own internal issues. Supporting its rapid economic growth whilst maintaining tight political control have been its priorities. However, in recent years, there is no doubt that it has become much more influential in international relations, both through its membership of the UN, and through its relations with Africa, North Korea and its South China Sea neighbours

Question 2

china and the UN

Answer 2

• provided the UN with 6.5% of overall peacekeeping budget and recently been offering assistance to many different countries to counter terrorism and violence
• shows china is very valuable and involved in UN affairs
• ignored the 2000-2015 UN Millennium Development Goals programme
• but sept last year china committed $2 billion for the poorest countries to spend on health, education and economic development; $1 billion for a new China-UN “peace and development fund”; debt forgiveness for the poorest countries

-all show chinas growing influence and value to the UN, increasing its power by offering its financial assets and making china more of a world power

Question 3

china and the USA

Answer 3

• usa has had biggest economy for 140 years, still has biggest GDP, accounts for 22.44%, but in terms of purchasing power parity, international monetary fund has ranked china at the biggest world economy
• shows china is closing the gap on the two biggest economies
• china has almost double the amount of soldiers the USA have, USA are some way ahead with their tech oology but chin aghast significantly more tanks, making them a threat if relations deteriorate with the USA and as Trump has become very critical of Chinas economic status saying they “rip us off” some say a Cold War could reappear
• china entering space race January 2019 it celebrated landing a probe on the far side of the moon, the first country every to achieve this. It launched more than 20 space missions in 2016, making it the busiest year ever for the nation’s rapidly growing space program

Question 4

china and Africa

Answer 4

• investing in Africa for some time. The need for raw materials - oil, copper, zinc, cobalt - to fuel China’s industrial expansion has forced these companies to look to Africa
• overtaking a market that has lots of room for Development

Question 5

china and neighbours

Answer 5

• china very harsh approach at controlling its neighbouring countries and seas
• recently positioned an oil rig in an area of sea claimed by Vietnam. This led to a stand-off between ships from both countries which ended when China used water cannons to disperse the Vietnamese ships

Question 6

conc

Answer 6

Therefore, given the importance of the China within the UN, and the global economy, it is clear that it is rapidly becoming one of the world’s most important countries. Its policy of ‘harmony without uniformity’ suggests it is willing to work with countries, even where their ideologies differ. China is closing the gap on the US economy and is set to overtake this shortly. Further, it has entered the space race and is increasing its influence in Africa. However, it is still not seen as a superpower equal to the USA, partly due to its lack of ‘soft power’. China’s influence in international relations may be growing, but at present is still felt most strongly by its immediate neighbours