Peaceful rise of China
TOWARDS the end of the 21st century, China embarked on a journey of self-aggrandizement.
China is located in a region where a large part of the world’s population is concentrated. China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and other countries in Southeast Asia together make this whole region the largest market in the world.
Economic interests dominate all other matters. There is a lot for Pakistan in this because it is very important for China and Central Asia in terms of its location.
Then we must also remember that our border is superpower China. China has worked tirelessly for seven decades to reach where it stands today.
The Chinese economy has been on the brink of extraordinary stability over the past three and a half decades.
China took full advantage of being the largest country in terms of population. There was a time when its large population was a huge burden for China.
Then, when leaders like Mao Zedong and his associates met, the Chinese worked hard and made a spectacular progress, astonishing the world.
Large-scale manufacturing is common in China today, because good quality goods are consumed domestically.
The rate of return on mass production is phenomenal. The United States and Europe are most worried about China’s rise to power, and that is natural.
Matters are now completely exposed. China has made it clear to the United States that it will not try to drag it into issues it has nothing to do with.
Recently, a virtual conference was held between the leaders of the European Union and China.
The conference discussed the situation in Ukraine, world trade and other issues. In a press briefing on the conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Xiao Lijian said, “The crisis in Ukraine has been created by the United States.
When he called for an extension of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to the east, Russia was incensed.
The Russian leadership felt that it was being pushed against the wall. As a result of the steps taken by the United States to expand NATO since 1999, the number of NATO members has increased from 16 to 31.
That was enough to provoke Russia.“ China has made it clear to the United States that it cannot be forced over the matter of Ukraine.
Whatever China does, it will do according to its own interests and preferences.
The United States and Europe want the Chinese leadership to openly condemn Russia at this stage, referring to Ukraine, while China says it will make any decision in its own interest.
This is in no-way wrong or reprehensible. The volume of trade between Russia and China is extraordinary.
The Chinese leadership cannot provoke Russia over the Ukraine crisis, and on the other hand, it remains to be seen when others will accept what China is being forced to accept. India has so far taken a very lenient stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He has been reluctant to condemn Russia and has even gone so far as to violate economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States and Europe. Russia has offered to supply cheap crude oil to India.
The US and Europe have been hit hardest by the fact that the deal between Russia and India is not being done in dollars. Russia has been excluded from the international payment system Swift.
In such a situation, India has talked about paying Russia in its own currency, the ruble. The United States and Europe want China to be surrounded in some way.
This process has been going on in various ways for more or less two decades but the Chinese leadership is not giving in to any pressure.
China has focused on the economic front. China is a significant investor in the world. In Africa, it has signed agreements with many countries in the field of natural resources.
The United States and Europe have been beating the drum for a decade and a half that the Chinese leadership wants to impoverish the countries of Asia and Africa by trapping them in debt.
The Chinese leadership has been given the impression that it seeks to devour weak countries.
It is not! From the beginning, China has focused on the economy. It also has the military might and capability to carry out large-scale military operations, but the Chinese leadership still wants to avoid any unnecessary military adventures.
He has seen the end of America and Europe. She does not currently intend to fall into the trap of any unnecessary adventure.
In such a scenario, it is inevitable that the resentment of the United States and China will increase.
They are trying to provoke China in one way or another. These are crucial moments for China as well.
She wants to show the world that she can work with Russia to develop a system that does not allow the United States and Europe to reap all the benefits.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Rawalpindi.
