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China, an emerging superpower or an old man on viagara?

nkgupta80 said:
Even in American companies, the Asian population is not a small minority. Although the companies American, a lot of the design and research is also done in Asia by Asian workers. At the moment, China pumps twice as many capable engineers as America. Now these workers would have gone to America to earn a great living in the booming tech sector. But this drain on Asia's human resources is reversing. China's science and technology institutes are definately reaching American-calibur.

Just to note, I interned at the Basic Science Research Center at UT Southwestern two summers ago. I swear, nearly half of the department was Asian if not the majority.
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I believe you, but they were in the U.S. doing they'r research. My guess is that many or most will stay in the U.S.. Getting back to the original point, is the research Chinese or American? Which society nurtures it, pays for it and gets to use it... which produces it? Einstein was a european but, had he stayed in europe europeans would have killed him... Similarly, can China effectively "use" the product of the research it's progeny take part in producing? An excellent example of what I am talking about is the new Boeing 787, 40% of which is being designed in Russia by Boeing's Russian engineering bureau. Russia produced the engineeers, it educated the engineers, but it could not provide the project nor the final product for them to create.
 
alphacat said:
Capitalism is an economic system.
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If you'll notice, all of the statements I used are from mikeangelo.
 
alphacat-- you are right, i was a little unclear, but what I am saying is that yes, America was the best place to go if you were a tech/engineer graduate in Asia. America has some of the best institutions in the world, and more so, is a great place to live.

But like I said the human resource drain out of China is reversing. China has made it one of its prime goals to make the country a more attractive place for foreign experts and Chinese emigrants to return. They are currently in the process of turning over 100 universities into "world-class" institutions. China's trying to play catch-up and i have no doubt they'd succeed.

Similarly, can China effectively "use" the product of the research it's progeny take part in producing?
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Yes, and I think the many Asian companies have shown a general knack for creating new products using new cutting-edge research and designs.
 
The term superpower is almost nominally used to describe a nation that has the most powerful military on earth or at least on par with the greatest. A sound economy, not necessarily a growing one or magnificently rich one but not one that is impoverished either. A strong footing in the world.

How does China match up to that? Well it has a strong centralized government aptly running the nation albeit with an iron fist in many cases, the economy is growing and in a firm position however as China exits the era that is has been building on for the past 50-60 years it will need new resources to refine their nation and build up infrastructure. And most of all Oil, China missed the boat in many respects when it comes to Oil, it did not get to capitalize on the cheap oil of the 1930's-1960's because of the fact that it did not need it. As a result the supplies and resources it will so sourly need to catch up to other first world nations in terms of infrastructure, standards of living(Cars and Trucks mostly) and other things, will now force China to commit to heavy bidding on now very centralized oil wells (Unless you Americans can get your Oil Shale developed, then we'd all be set for oil as you guys would have more than all the nations of the face of the earth.) and if defeated in bids for contracts by higher national income states such as US various EU nations etc it will find itself taking years if not forever to completely come into the fold.

Now in terms of military people mistakenly assume China has a very powerful military, this is untrue. China possesses very obsolete technology for it's land armies, it consists of mostly 1950 era tanks upgraded with weapon kits we sold them. Infantry strength is filled with bloated divisions that are lightly trained and barely armed to US or UK standards. Sheer mass of men has lost much of it's luster as air power has come into play along with modern tanks and artillery. China would lose the bulk of it's 2.8 million man combat army in 7-8 months of prolonged combat against US forces. They simply don't have enough real combat effective troops. The aerial corps of China has 7 wings only 3 of which are classified as an effective threat, those are the 2 at Taiwan and the one aerial defense wing at Beijing. The navy runs on inefficient Soviet circa world war 2 diesel engines preventing any major upgrades or the ability to last in prolonged combat.
So China really has an impressive force on paper and can keep it's borders defended against border attacks but against a fully mobilized US army, it would lose much of it's luster and bulk in 7-8 months of combat.Now if anyone here wants a list of China's full military orbit I would be glad to show it to you. I can also give US orbit if you like.

So overall China is possibly heading down the road to a contender for the top 3 world powers but is far off from being a superpower. If it did not have nuclear weapons no one would take China seriously, which is why it fails to be classified to high up.
 
How can you consider China's path down the road leading to becoming a superpower "possible"? Imminent economic, political, scientific, and technological success will lead to advances in China's military. China will possess the resources, the capability, and the incentive to drive these miltary advances forward. And unlike Japan, it has no real restrictions hindering any drastic military development.
In the world of ethics, China uses nuclear capabilities to be taken seriously. This is a given. But once it's inevitable technological advances in it's military takes place, imagine the diplomatic gains that could be made from making a show of nuclear disposal.
 
Although superskippy, you are right that China does not have a comparable military, it certainly won't neglect it. China can quickly adapt to the technological advances available, and with its resources, it can easily catch up to other advanced militaries. For example, on a much smaller scale, HDTV already has twice the users in china than in the US, and by 2008 HDTV is expected to become the standard in a Chinese well to do household.
 
How can you consider China's path down the road leading to becoming a superpower "possible"? Imminent economic, political, scientific, and technological success will lead to advances in China's military. China will possess the resources, the capability, and the incentive to drive these miltary advances forward. And unlike Japan, it has no real restrictions hindering any drastic military development.
In the world of ethics, China uses nuclear capabilities to be taken seriously. This is a given. But once it's inevitable technological advances in it's military takes place, imagine the diplomatic gains that could be made from making a show of nuclear disposal.

The economic succesess are hindered by the fact that China now needs enough raw materials to run an emerging 1st world country all at once. It has not stockpiled oil, and metals, and ore. It needs to bid on contracts for oil and resources all over the world to keep it's own growth from crushing itself. They rely on winning contracts and with the US and EU becoming far more active in that respect China is having trouble filling it's demand.

With that in respect they have a growing number of dissident political factions, Including several million Muslims to the North, the pro-democracy movement, those are among the largest. These groups could one day lead to a civil war in China, while the government may not embrace communism they still dont want to give up the power. Think of it as a dictatorship where the people are nominally free. (Wow that sounds odd saying.) At any rate a civil war at some point seems inevitable, so much economic growth without a politically moving forward especially in such a short amount of time almosy always leaves to rebellion. People first want food and shelter in society, then they want a good standerd of living, after those needs have been appeased people begin looking for more and they inevitably look at the government.

In all respects China lacks any great technological advancements in their military, they mostly have lived off of our tank upgrades, and Mig upgrade kits.

The military has little focus on it right now, though China's economy may be growing drastically it is being forced to focus all it's money to feed the fire's of it's industry. It is spending the bulk of it's expenditure on buying contracts, trade agreements, and when it comes to the military simply buying more stuff from us, or secretly from Europe.

China has the possibility of becoming a Superpower, if a large number of very possible variables dont interfere first.
 
Personaly I'm scared of China. They are growing and advancing at such a fast rate. They have told the united states and Canada to back off about the Hong Kong independence. Apparently they have over 1000 spies in Canada alone and they have threaten the United States with a nuclear strike. Which is a little over the top if I do say so my self.
 
OK china is becoming a super power it forces r gathering it projecting power to it's neighbors and it's government is a copy on the former USSR it is faster and makes dissuasions more efficiently then a capitalist nation can. one day china well be the new compition for the us
 
canada showd just stay out of the us's bad internatioal manners
 
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