Short Paper

Stacy Montford

Enter the name of Instructor

Political Science

September 24, 2019.

Challenges posed to America by China and non- state Actors

Since a few years, China- United States relations have been a hot topic in the International relations discourse. Many believe that China poses an emerging threat to the United States interests in terms of trade and economic security. As like China, the world has not been successful in completely eradicating the threat of non- state actors. Although dismantled to large extent, but non- state actors are an existential threat to United States interests particularly, and for the world generally. This paper aims at comparing and contrasting these threat and analyzing how these threats pose challenges to the global leadership exercised by the United States.

Comparison analysis

The Chinese recent history suggest that its regime has remained authoritative when it comes to meeting the domestic development. In the international affairs, it has apparently adopted the policy of non- confrontation and cooperation. From some last few years, it is really noticeable that China has achieved new heights in domestic production and in the export ratio. It has complemented its trade gains with the undergoing ‘One Belt One Road’ (OBOR) initiative. China is adopting this strategy of enlarged cooperation based on widening its soft image. At present, China has been in a trade war with America. It has adopted strict measure when it comes to importing the American products. It shows that Chinese rise and its trade ambitions are posed toward challenging American interests. The military expansion of China and its technological advancements recommends that Communist party’s hold of power may bring China’s social and economic power at par with the United States. It is actually escaping the trap of middle income through technological innovation which is a less costly manner.

The violent non- state actors have been an existential threat for the world at large and for Americans specifically. Though they do not have any thing substantial to challenge the American interests but by partnering with other extremist elements they can pose a sizeable warning. The extremist narrative makes up its space through assertion and coercion as the communist regime in China has been employing throughout the decades. Their goal remains to destabilize the security and expanding cooperation among the nation states. The Chinese growth pattern on other hand suggest a slight difference, it maintains a pattern of cooperation while asserting its strategic aims. The countries which China aims at making a part of its OBOR initiative are economically less developed which pose a threat to their survivability as an independent state. The comparison analysis suggest that although completely different, but both China and the non- state actors encompass convergences in the manner of achieving their goals.

Contrast analysis

The American interests remain unshakeable since they are based on democratic norms and reflect aspirations of its people. American military modernization and economic achievements has just not benefitted America, rather it protected the aims and aspirations of its allies. The Chinese military modernization, its claim over the strategic oceans of East China and South China and its building of strategic ports in less develop and strategically important countries speaks for its strategic aims. Despite its long interaction with the people of West, China has remained fail in deferring the culture of isolation. These perceptions, policies and goals of China put it at odds with America. Considering the Chinese development pattern, it is right to argue that in the history such multipronged strategy of encirclement was never adopted by any country. As Friedberg argues that despite being at odds China is an important stake holder ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"yGGoojCJ","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Friedberg)","plainCitation":"(Friedberg)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":328,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/FSBWGTH6"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/FSBWGTH6"],"itemData":{"id":328,"type":"post-weblog","title":"Getting the China Challenge Right","container-title":"The American Interest","abstract":"What is at stake in the emerging contest between Washington and Beijing is nothing less than the future prosperity and security of free societies—in Asia and around the world.","URL":"https://www.the-american-interest.com/2019/01/10/getting-the-china-challenge-right/","language":"en-US","author":[{"family":"Friedberg","given":"Aaron"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2019",1,10]]},"accessed":{"date-parts":[["2019",9,25]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Friedberg). The contrast exists in the adoption of development pattern which is that Chinese exert ideas, whereas the American values are based on freedom and liberty.

The violent non- state actors are not recognized by any state. These actors have served the purpose of undermining the strategic interests of the states by employing violent means. At times we are living in, there exists no space for brutality and violence. This is the reason that American government has taken the lead in dismantling such threats. The threat of China appears long lasting and multipronged, whereas the threat of non- state actors is vicious and short spanning. America can dismantle this threat by employing means of ‘partnering against extremism’ with its coalitions and partners ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"JjR1CqQ2","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Bartlett)","plainCitation":"(Bartlett)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":332,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/5PHZHMFB"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/s8f0QVnP/items/5PHZHMFB"],"itemData":{"id":332,"type":"article-journal","title":"From suspects to citizens: Preventing violent extremism in a big society","source":"Google Scholar","title-short":"From suspects to citizens","author":[{"family":"Bartlett","given":"Jamie"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2010"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Bartlett). Whereas to counter the threat of China, United States need to foster economic growth and will has to look for new ways to expand its soft power image.

Does they pose an existential threat?

The Chinese economic growth and strategic enhancement suggest that it poses considerable existential threat to American values. It is building its strategy which many of the international relations experts believe is the encirclement of United States. With China there exist likelihoods of cooperation and growth, if China sheds away its image of isolation. Since it has been able to bring billions of people out of poverty and its soft power image has conceptualized the understanding about the world affairs, therefore strong chances exists that America might partner with China anytime in the future. Extremism and non- state actors are however, a threat to the liberal values of America. They threaten peace, security and survivability of the world. America has been able to bring the world on the same page to root out such elements and has remained successful in curbing this menace. Lastly, since there exists such elements in our society and in the world, therefore it is an existential threat to America and to the world at large.

Works Cited:

ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Bartlett, Jamie. From Suspects to Citizens: Preventing Violent Extremism in a Big Society. 2010.

Friedberg, Aaron. “Getting the China Challenge Right.” The American Interest, 10 Jan. 2019, https://www.the-american-interest.com/2019/01/10/getting-the-china-challenge-right/.