Counter-Balancing the Rising Dragon
Abstract
China's economic growth since the late-1970s has placed the nation on the cusp of becoming a global superpower. China has used its economic prosperity to modernize its military and effectively maneuver itself into regional, and to a lesser extent, global economic agreements. The question for the United States is whether China's newfound modernization and prosperity are indicative of a rising challenger to United States hegemony or a peaceful rise towards increased regional influence. Many of China's hard and soft power initiatives have conflicting messages of challenger and "good neighbor." Through analysis of China's historically defensive viewpoint of "active defense," this essay outlines how China's rise is inevitable, however, peaceful. The essay further demonstrates that unilateral policies regarding China, as well as misunderstandings about China's strategic culture could have disastrous results for both nations. Through analysis of China's balancing actions against the United States, this essay provides counter-balancing initiatives, in the form of hard and soft power, which the United States can undertake to mitigate China's rise on the global scale.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 16, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1175987
Entities
People
- Jeremy P. Osborne
Organizations
- Marine Corps University