Expansionist greed of Chinese government: A pain in the neck for the world

It is now well recognized all over the world China has made spectacular progress in the industrial and technological front in the last few decades. Certainly, there are many admirers of China in the world, who are impressed that China has changed its image from being a developing country to a developed country in a short span of time. 

Obviously, this is a tribute to the native intelligence of Chinese people, their determined and hard-working capability and above all, an unbending desire to improve earnings and profit. So far so good.

The minus factor 

While China has contributed significantly to the industrial and economic prospects of the world, one can not admire the greedy ambitions of China to become the world superpower, with least regard for fairness in dealing with other countries and it’s lack of scruples as well as its view that it can adopt any means to achieve its objectives of emerging as a superpower. The concept that the means should justify end is not in China’s dictum.

Definite game plan

China’s expansionist greed is being implemented with a definite game plan. China is making no effort to conceal it. 

China aggressively entered Tibet in 1950s, massacred innocent Tibetan protestors and has been occupying Tibet for several decades now. The unfortunate fact is that China’s aggression in Tibet was not challenged by other countries in the world and Tibet became the first victim of China’s greed for world dominance. 

India was the second victim of China’s greed, when China started a war with India in 1962, defeated the ill-equipped Indian army and occupied large Indian territory, which it continues to occupy till today. Further, China is laying claim for the Arunachal province in India.

The next victim of China’s greed is Japan, where China is laying claim for Senkaku Island. 

There are other countries like the Philippines, Vietnam who are yet other victims of China’s greed, as China is laying claim on the South China Sea, questioning the legitimate claims of countries like the Philippines, Vietnam and others.

Economic exploitation of weak countries 

Apart from such aggressive military interventions, as part of its game plan to implement its expansionist greed approach, China is steadily bringing several weak countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh under its control by extending debt for implementing projects, clearly knowing that these weak countries will never be able to repay their debt to China.  

The debt-ridden countries are being forced to surrender projects related to the territory to China in lieu of the debt such as Hambantota port in Sri Lanka, Gwadar port in Pakistan and several others.

The One Belt One Road  (OBOR)  initiative is another clever strategy by China to subjugate the weak countries in Asia, Africa and elsewhere to China’s economic domination and it has already made substantial inroads in these countries, that have succumbed to OBOR temptation and have unwittingly got themselves in OBOR trap.

Cause for concern :

Even as China has been recording steady growth in multiple directions, the fact is that it has shown aggressive behaviour in expanding its territories and implementing its schemes to dominate the world. This is justifiably causing concern all over the world.

The present view of the most section of the world community about China is not much different from the view of the world community about Hitler during the second world war. Many people in the world felt in the 1940s that eliminating Hitler was a precondition for the prevalence of peace in the world. 

Potential threat to world peace 

While China believes that it has enough economic and military strength to gradually advance its expansionist ambition and it would not be effectively challenged in advancing its plans, several countries in the world are now realizing that China can be a potential threat to world peace.

There is a gradual realisation amongst several countries that some coordinated action amongst them is required to checkmate China in the present juncture. 

All the concerned countries do understand that unlike in the case of World War II, when Hitler was defeated by a military war, this cannot be so in the present conditions in tackling China.

Vulnerable to trade pressure 

Obviously, the number of concerned countries seem to be veering to the view that China has to be confronted on the trade front to make it behave. 

While China has built huge capacities in industries and in the production of goods and services, the fact is that such capacities are much more than what China needs now in the immediate future. Obviously, China has become an export-dependent economy and any adverse impact on the export trade of China would cause unbearable pain for the Chinese economy.

Suppression of freedom 

Apart from the expansionist greed of China that causes worldwide concern, the suppression of liberty and freedom in China and human rights violation is disturbing the world conscience to some extent. 

China seems to be creating an impression that suppression of freedom and growth of the economy should go in parallel, which is unacceptable from an ethical and civilization viewpoint.

Is it right to target a particular country?

It is certainly not right to target a particular country but when that country has faith in aggressive methods, has territorial ambitions and expansionist greed, the world is left with no alternative other than striving to defeat such approach of the country.

The confrontation is not with the Chinese people per se but with the present Chinese government, which is totalitarian in outlook and methods and is not a credible representative of the Chinese people.

It is sad that the present Chinese government has become a pain in the neck of the world and the Chinese government does not seem to mind this.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)