A Critical Audience
China can only grow to become as politically powerful and economically sound as the international community will allow it to. Right now, its social report card leaves much to be desired. Recent numerous and highly-visible infractions that have propelled outcry from prospective allies and trading partners include its:
- Human Rights record, especially its response to national and foreign protestors on the Tibet question
- Lack of transparency, including suspicious surrounding the manipulation of its currency value, and repeated intellectual property rights violations
- Food and product safety values; specifically, toxins found in dog food, children's toys, and baby formula
- Questionable trade agreements, such as its publicized partnership with Sudan
- Environmental policy and practices, which became more apparent in the spin-up before, and during the 08 Olympic Games.
These factors will continue to check and balance China's economic growth and trade activities as long as key international players are scoring its performance and demonstration of social accountability.
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This questions falls on the thinnest of lines, and requires one to understand that China is, and is not, a threat, at the same time. The question is that broad.
But, the author here raises a great point. What is it that the international community will do? Sit back and watch a superpower rise to the top of the food chain, unchecked, and unleash hell on earth (as we have seen in the past). Or, will it get invoived, and remain involved, in guiding this waking giant into its fold?
For me, the question is this: Is the international community a threat to itself?