Is
China poised to become the world’s next superpower? This question is
increasingly asked as China’s economic growth surges ahead at more than
8% a year, while the developed world remains mired in recession or
near-recession. China is already the world’s second largest economy, and
will be the largest in 2017. And its military spending is racing ahead
of its GDP growth.
The
question is reasonable enough if we don’t give it an American twist. To
the American mind, there can be only one superpower, so China’s rise
will automatically be at the expense of the United States. Indeed, for
many in the US, China represents an existential challenge.
