China

It is very well known that in this modern age only one superpower exists: the United States of America. Nobody is close, or has been close for quite some time. However, recently, China has experienced drastic growth. They have recently passed Japan, achieving spot #2 in the world in terms of economy.

            A world involving one superpower is fairly straightforward. They have tremendous influence in global conflicts, and can usually stack the odds in their favour. This allows for quick resolutions. However, a world with multiple superpowers is an entirely different situation. Tensions sky rocket and conflicts can be extremely prolonged. One could look at the Cold War, which was the last time two Superpowers existed. Local conflicts like Vietnam were heavily influenced by these superpowers, but because they selected opposite sides, there was no quick or peaceful resolution.

            Today we aren’t even close to seeing China parallel themselves with the United States of America, or become a superpower. However they are gaining power quickly, and with power comes influence. They have reached the stage where they can influence world events and conflicts. However, if it really came down to it the United States of America could stomp all over China. The primary reason for this is because the United States of America’s military is technologically superior to China’s.

            A rising China could prove beneficial; their economy is doing well and could help bail out the U.S and other countries. However, the U.S.A does not want China owning it. In addition China could provide a strong opposition to the U.S in future conflicts like the U.S.S.R did. As the China’s economy improves, so does its military. Soon the U.S.A might not be able to influence events as much as they do now. After all, China is growing awfully quickly. This is for two reasons. They’re a communist country, so unemployment is very low, and money is constantly being put back into the economy. Also, they have refused to raise their currency price to where it should be. This makes it cheaper for countries like the U.S.A to buy from China, which is also helping China’s economy. All of this is of course speculation, we will soon see how China will impact the global community, and one can only hope it will be for the best.