Ascent of the dragon: China's growing role in global affairs. Issue 2 (4th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zaidi, Syed Muhammad Saad; Saud, Adam
• Is Part Of: Asian journal of political science. Volume 29:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: 151
• Page End: 168
• Publication Date: 2021-05-04
• Subjects: Rise of China -- Great Power competition -- Sino-American relations -- BRI -- geopolitics -- geo-economics; Political science -- Periodicals; Asia -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 320.095
• DOI: 10.1080/02185377.2021.1915171
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0218-5377

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In contemporary times, the highly debated issue in geopolitics is the rapid rise of China as a potential Superpower. In merely, three decades China's economy has transformed into the second-biggest economy in the world, it has the largest conventional force of the globe, it is now creating international institutes like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to provide a just and balanced alternate economic regime to the US-led liberal order, and it is using its geo-economic might through multi-trillion projects like the Belt and Road Initiative to project its geopolitical influence globally. This paper explains how and when for the first time China came into the limelight as a Major Power. It evaluates China's economic rise; whether it is in a position to become the new economic hub? It assesses the military capabilities of China; does it meet the threshold of a Great Power? It analyses the geostrategic policies adopted by China, especially vis-à-vis the all-important South and East China Seas. Lastly, it determines if China can establish itself as the hegemon in the Eastern hemisphere?