EQ3 7.8 DEVELOPING NATIONS AND SUPERPOWERS Flashcards
interdependence
There is increasing interdependence between emerging powers and the developing world as a result of economic ties and China’s growing soft power.
china and africa
As China has developed economically, its demand for resources has significantly increased.
It has been gaining these resources from the developing world (particularly Africa) and so its trade relations here have grown.
In 2000, China-Africa trade was a mere $10 billion. By 2014, that had increased more than 20-fold to $220 billion.
what does china use Africa for
In particular, China is able to source natural resources such as oil, copper, cobalt and iron ore from Africa.
It also has markets for Chinese manufacturers and construction companies.
chinas trade and investment in Africa
China’s relationship with Africa has focused on trade and investment in infrastructure. This investment in infrastructure has been necessary to ensure that the transport links are viable for exporting raw materials.
Between 2003-2017, Egypt was the largest receiver of Chinese investment. It received $24 billion dollars during this time.
Other countries that have received large investment include Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa and Mozambique.
environmental impacts of china and Africa’s relationship
By moving some industries to Africa, China has begun to ‘offset’ some of its emissions.
In other words, it looks as though the emissions are coming from African nations whereas it is for Chinese production and thus, arguably, China’s emissions.
The industries that this is particularly relevant for is steel and cement, which cause air and water pollution.
pollution havens from china
The World Bank study looked at more than 3,000 overseas projects founded or operated by China and found that it often treats poor nations as ‘pollution havens”. China transfers its own environmental degradation to developing nations that are desperate for foreign investment.
However, you could also argue Western nations have done this in the past.
neo-colonialism
Many argue that this investment is a form of neo-colonialism like that peddled by the Bretton Woods institution. China is trying to gain influence in the region.
Others highlight that Africa needs investment and this investment creates jobs for local people. They also get better public transport from the China-funded railways in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Over 1 million Chinese people have moved to Africa since 2005. They help to cause a multiplier effect by spending money which adds to the local economy.
Tensions among Emerging Asian Powers - China
As China and India increase in global economic importance, this increases the geopolitical influence of the region. However, it also creates economic and political tensions.
tensions between India and china
There are also historic tensions between China and India- especially on their shared border.
Both countries maintain a military presence on their border in the Himalayas.
In early 2018, satellite imagery showed that both India and China continue to build up their ground forces in this area.
However, the Himalayas are a good natural border. It is hard to move an army over the mountain range.
tensions between china, Taiwan and tibet
There are growing geopolitical tensions over territorial claims with China and Taiwan and Tibet.
China maintains a territorial claim to Taiwan as a Chinese province.
The people in Tibet wish to be independent of China.
However, the Chinese government has also encouraged migrants to move to Tibet which has raised tensions.
tensions between china and Japan
There have always been tensions between China and Japan however currently they are major trading partners.
One example of tension stems from the US troops stationed in Japan during the Chinese Civil War.
Japan invaded the Chinese province of Manchuria in 1931 and the massacre of up to 300,000 in Nanking in 1937 remains a painful historic event.
why are there political tensions in the middle eat
There are political, cultural and economic tensions in the Middle East, partly because of complex geopolitical relations combined with the supply of vital energy resources from this region.
political tensions in Israel
Parts of the state of Israel is heavily disputed.
Many Arab states would like to see the creation of a state for Palestine alongside the state of Israel.
As the USA has always supported the creation of the state of Israel, the US struggles to maintain a positive influence in the Arab world.
This situation has been heightened in 2018 when President Trump announced that he would move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.
This is a politically charged move because the eastern part of Jerusalem is also claimed by Palestinians.
Jerusalem is a city home to holy sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims.
cultural tensions in Iran and Iraq
There are cultural tensions in Iran, stemming from ethnic, religious and historic tribal differences.
In many nations, there is tension between the Shia and Sunni branches of Islam.
Over 90% of Iranians are Shia Muslims and over 60% of Iraqis are Shia Muslims. There are tensions between the Shias and the minority Sunnis.
oil producing regions
The Middle East produces a high percentage of the world’s oil output.
Some people argue that part of the motivation for overthrowing Saddam Hussein was the US ability to access Iraqi oil.
The continued Western involvement in Iraq and against ISIS may support this. Damage to the Middle East’s oil infrastructure could have a global impact.
