Contested spheres of influences

Question 1

Superpowers and emerging powers need physical resources, especially fossil fuels, minerals and ores. Some have these domestically but in many cases they must be obtained through international trade. What three things can this mean?

Answer 1

Buying resources at high prices, e.g. in 2008 crude oil was priced at $140 per barrel.
Trading with unfreindly regimes, or ones that are politically unstable, e.g. Iranian and Iraqi oil.
During conflict, trade routes and therefore supply is blocked.

Question 2

In some cases tensions can arise as countries attempt to acquire natural resources, but their ownership is disputed. In what two ways can this happen?

Answer 2

Invasion and conquest of another country’s territory, which is rare.
Claiming offshore, undersea resources by extending a country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which is more common.

Question 3

Example of invasion and conquest of another country’s territory regarding sphere of influence?

Answer 3

Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014

Question 4

Example of claiming offshore, undersea resources by extending a country’s exclusive economic zone?

Answer 4

Arctic oil and gas resources

Question 5

What is an exclusive economic zone?

Answer 5

It extends 200 miles offshore from a country’s coast, and includes all resources in and under the sea. In some circumstances its size can be extended.

Question 6

What was the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014?

Answer 6

Russia invaded and took Crimea (part of Ukraine) by force in 2014.
A key reason for doing this was to gain total control of the Russian naval base at Sevastopol in Crimea - home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
The base was leased to Russia in 1997, but not owned by Russia.
Russia fears that if Ukraine joins the EU and/or NATO this strategic base could be lost.
Fearing the loss of land and a port, both physical resources, Russia acted.

Question 7

What the issue with Arctic oil and gas resources?

Answer 7

Huge oil and gas reserves may exist under the Arctic Ocean.
This area is beyond the exclusive economic zone of Canada, USA, Russia and Denmark.
All of these countries have claimed EEZ extensions, which are disputed by others, and lodged these with the UN (which ultimately rules on them).
Since 2007, military patrols and activity have increased in the Arctic as each country shows it is interested in the area, and willing to defend its claims.

Question 8

What indigenous population lives in the Arctic?

Answer 8

Inuit

Question 9

Human resources are a key element of power. This is especially the case with regard to new inventions and discoveries such as what two things?

Answer 9

New military technology, used for defence and attack.

Inventions and new products that could bring riches.

Question 10

Who are most inventions made by?

Answer 10

Government organisations or TNCs through research and development.

Question 11

To prevent new inventions being copies illegally, they are protected by what?

Answer 11

An international system of intellectual property

Question 12

What is Intellectual property?

Answer 12

Includes Trademark, copyright and patent protection (for physical or system inventions) and a system of royalty payments for the rights to use IP developed by someone else.

Question 13

Where to 80% of royalty fees go to?

Answer 13

USA, Japan and western Europe.

Question 14

It has been estimated that counterfeit goods sales account for how much of China’s GDP?

Answer 14

5-8%

Question 15

What companies are widely counterfeited in China?

Answer 15

BMW, Mercedes and iPhone

Question 16

What does counterfeiting mean?

Answer 16

Counterfeiting means copying someone else’s trademarked, branded designs - such as expensive handbags, jeans or mobile phones.

Question 17

What are the effects of counterfeiting?

Answer 17

TNCs may limit investment in China if they dear IP theft.
Total losses worldwide are probably $400-600 billion annually.
Trade deals with countries such as China are made much harder by its failure to tackle IP theft.
Counterfeit goods are often unsafe, putting consumers at risk.

Question 18

What is a sphere of influence?

Answer 18

A sphere of influence is an area or territory, beyond a country’s national borders, over which it feels it should have power but without having any formal authority there.

Question 19

What is the overlapping spheres of influence in Eastern Europe?

Answer 19

Eastern European countries joining the EU, and moves by Georgia and Ukraine to do so, angered Russia, leading to the Russian invasions of parts of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014, as well as a build-up of NATO armed forces in the Baltic States.

Question 20

What is the overlapping spheres of influence in the Middle East and Central Asia?

Answer 20

Since 2011, Russia has been an active ally of Syria, helping the Syrian government fight rebel forces and ISIS. Russia supports Iran, an enemy of US allies Israel and Saudi Arabia. Russia’s increasing involvement in the Middle East makes an already difficult region even more complex.

Question 21

What are the overlapping spheres of influence in East China Sea?

Answer 21

Strained relations between North Korea (a Chinese ally) and South Korea (a US ally), as North Korea works to become a nuclear power. China sees South Korea and Japan (US allies) as economic competitors. All countries have ongoing disputes over islands in the sea.

Question 22

What are the overlapping spheres of influence in the South China Sea?

Answer 22

Numerous disputed islands, claimed by China and US allies the Philippines and Taiwan. China has aggressively pursued a policy of island settlement and artificial island building - then adding military facilities.

Question 23

What are the overlapping spheres of influence in Central America?

Answer 23

China has shown increasing interest in funding alternative routes to the Panama Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific. This is an area of traditional US hegemony.