Preprint / Version 1

From Mao to Modernity: China's Rise in the 21st Century

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.621

Keywords:

International Relations, US-China Relations, Hegemony, Belt and Road Initiative, Digital Authoritarianism, Thucydides Trap, Authoritarianism, Taiwan, Global Governence, Liberal International Order, Xinjiang, Uyghur Muslims, Surveillance, AI

Abstract

In the twenty-first century, the central question framing US foreign policy has shifted from McCarthy’s infamous “Who lost China?” to “What is China?” This question encompasses crucial facets of the shifting global order: What are China’s motives? What will the consequences be? How should the West respond? Should the West respond? Addressing these questions is a prerequisite to resolving the multitude of global challenges today, from climate change and food insecurity to terrorism and nuclear proliferation. This essay first examines China's methods to become the leading superpower. Next, it analyzes the economic, social, and geopolitical implications of Chinese hegemony. Finally, it concludes that a globally dominant China, despite presenting the threat of digital authoritarianism, could foster both economic growth and geopolitical stability.

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Posted

2023-10-21