Implications_of_the_Rise_of_China_on_International_Relations_and_the_Birth_of_a_New_World_Order__a_Realist_Perspective

| Implications of the Rise of China on International Relations and the Birth of a New World Order: A Realist Perspective Focus Area: From a realist perspective, what are the implications of China’s rise in the late twentieth century on current international relations issues, and what effect will these have on the possible birth of a new world order' Explanation and Justification: China’s meteoric rise from is historical role as a central political and economic player in Asia to international prominence as both a political and economic power in the late twentieth century , and its implication for the current world order have been the topics much academic debate. This essay will seek to discern, from a realist perspective, the way in which China transformed itself from a major power in Asia to a major power internationally, focusing particularly on the changes in China’s foreign affairs and international relations strategies and its reform of its economic policies. It seems inevitable that China’s rise will bring to an end the unipolar hegemony of the United States. Through significant economic reforms in 1978 which facilitated the modernization of China’s economy through the promotion of foreign investment and trade, its economy has grown at the astonishing rate of 9% per annum. This coupled with a more active direction to international relations policy such it’s signing of United Nations Covenants on human rights in 1997 and 1998 and its entrance into the WTO in 1999, China has asserted itself as a central political economic power international power. The implications of this assertion are potentially profound. Perhaps the most important implication is the potential for the birth of a new world order, and if so, what lengths will the United States go to maintain its unipolar hegemony. Realist theory has argued that as China seeks to reshape the international political and economic environment and the hegemony of the United States declines and with it, western liberalism, and as countries are pressured to conform to this new world order, conflict is inevitable. By applying a realist perspective to China’s rise in the late twentieth century, this paper will argue that China will indeed effect a new world order, the result of which will be a rapid decline in the already strained international affairs relationship between western liberalism led by the United Stated and China, and that in keeping with realist theory, the mechanism by which this new world order will be established is conflict. China’s economic rise in the late twentieth century stimulated by significant economic reforms, both formed the foundation for and augmented China’s political rise from a major player in Asia to a major global player. Therefore, this paper will begin with a realist perspective on China’s economic rise. It will then move to a realist perspective on the implications of China’s political rise in the late twentieth century and show how this political rise may culminate in the birth of a new world order. Finally this paper will show that, in keeping with realist theory, that the most likely mechanism by which this change will occur is through conflict and legitimate this realist claim by providing evidence that conflict has already played a significant role in the rise of China using examples such as the Tiananmen Square protest. Word Count: 541 Bibliography Ikenberry, J. ‘The Rise of China and the Future of the West’, Foreign Affairs, Vol. 87 No. 1 (January/February 2008), pp 1-2. Mastel, G. ‘The Rise of China’s Economy’, (published by M.E. Sharpe, 1997), pp 65-78. Overholt, W. ‘the Rise of China: How Economic Reform is Creating a New Superpower, (Published by W.W. Norton, 1994), pp 160-210. Suettinger, R ‘Beyond Tiananmen Square: the Politics of US-China Relations’, (published by Brookings Institution Press, 2003), pp 140-150. Sutter, R. G, ‘China’s Rise: Implications for US leadership in Asia’, (published by East-West Centre Washington, 2006), pp 1-32. -------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. Ikenberry ‘the Rise of China and the Future of the West: Can the Liberal System Survive'’ Foreign Affairs January/February 2008. [ 2 ]. Overholt, W. H, ‘the Rise of China: How Economic Reform is Creating a New Superpower’, page 193 [ 3 ]. Mastel, G, ‘The rise of China’s economy’, page 75 [ 4 ]. Sutter, R. G, ‘China’s Rise: Implications for US leadership in Asia’, page 23 [ 5 ]. Suettinger, R ‘Beyond Tiananmen Square: the Politics of US-China Relations’, page 145