The China threat or China threat theory is varied set of views that argue that the People's Republic of China poses a threat to democracy, peace, military and economic relations, and other aspects around the world. [1] As China's economy grows, some believe that China's system of government and development model are more effective than those of Europe and the United States and that China will eventually replace them. [1] Since the end of the Cold War, the China threat theory has grown in the West, especially the United States, and has affected the US' foreign policy toward the People's Republic of China. [2]
The China threat theory does not represent a unified or cohesive view. Different countries and governments have different views on China's behavior and intentions. Some countries view China as a potential threat and need to take measures to deal with its behavior, [3] [4] while others believe that issues with China should be resolved through dialogue and cooperation. [5] [6]
The China threat theory is a statement that expresses concerns and doubts that arise in international relations due to the increasing power and influence of mainland China. [7] After Chinese century, the rapid development of the Chinese mainland has posed challenges to the interests of its neighboring countries and the international order. The threats include economic, military, food, population, and even space. [8] Some commentators point out that the dictatorship system in mainland China is the main cause of the threat theory. Chinese officials believe that the threat theory originated from statements used by Western countries to suppress China's development in the post-Cold War era. [9] [7]
The "China threat theory" has a long history in Europe. Starting with the "Anti-Chinese Wave" in the 19th century, [10] white supremacist and Chinese labor interest groups perceived Chinese workers in the United States as a "threat" to mainstream American culture. As a result, they exerted pressure on the government, leading to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 and 1884, respectively. [11] [4] The "China threat theory" during this period specifically referred to Chinese immigrants, not the contemporary "China threat theory."[ citation needed ] However, the ideology of white supremacy and the conflict between Eastern and Western civilizations, which are reflected in it, can still be found in the subsequent "China threat theory." [12]
At the inception of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), there was also a surge in the "China threat theory" in the United States. [2] This theory suggested that the success of the Chinese Communist Revolution could potentially initiate a domino effect in Southeast Asia, [13] thus presenting a "red threat" to the United States. [14] The "China threat theory" of this period emerged in the context of the Cold War. [7]
In the early days of the reform and opening up of the People's Republic of China, many people did not have a positive view of the Chinese mainland, and some even predicted that it might "collapse". [15]
Historically, there have been many versions of the "China threat theory," which currently revolves around opposition to the People's Republic of China, governed by the CCP. [3] However, because the state-owned economy led by the CCP is an integral part of China's contemporary economy [16] and is intertwined with the livelihoods of many people, [17] the perspectives of "anti-communism" and "anti-China" may partially coincide. [18]
Beginning in the mid-1990s, the Chinese term Zhongguo Weixielun ("China threat theory") became the more prevalent in Chinese discourse to describe perceived baseless or racist foreign fears instead of the previously more prevalent term Huangguo Lun("Yellow Peril"). [19] Usage of Zhongguo Weixielun became increasingly common in Chinese media after 2000. [19]
According to Western world, China, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, has demonstrated significant ambition, [20] especially concerning the Taiwan issue and the South China Sea dispute. [21] [22] China's stance is becoming increasingly firm, prompting the Western world, led by the U.S., to address the threat posed by China. [23] Consequently, the risk of a regional military conflict has significantly increased. [24]
After the European debt crisis, a large amount of capital from the Chinese Mainland entered the European bond market. [25] The British media, BBC, interpreted it as mainland China gaining control over Europe through the purchase of European bonds. [26]
Japan, Europe, and the United States believe that mainland China's investments, trade, and economic assistance in Africa are viewed as "neo-colonialism." [27] [28]
Mainland China poses the greatest threat to Taiwan's electronics industry exports. [29] In 2015, as mainland China began to transform its economy and upgrade its industries, it also started developing the supply chain for high-tech industries. [30] [31]
Lester Brown's article "Who Will Feed China?" states that mainland China's large population and high food demand will lead to global food supply shortages. [32] But the world's food production has been in surplus for many years. [33] Food shortage problems only exist in places with political and military turmoil, not due to insufficient food supply. [34] [35]
Alongside economic growth, mainland China's military spending has also increased, raising concerns among neighboring countries, regions, and the United States. [36] [37]
At present, China's military expenditure is second only to that of the United States. [38] Some individuals argue that this poses a threat to the United States' global leadership position. [39] However, the gap between the Chinese and U.S. militaries is still very large. [40] The military expenditure of the United States is three to four times higher than that of China, surpassing the combined total of the countries ranked second to fifteenth. [41]
The Island chain strategy in the East China Sea has sparked a disagreement between China and Japan regarding the sovereignty of the Senkaku Islands and their affiliated islands in the East China Sea. [42] [43] The conflict escalated further after Japan announced the nationalization of the Diaoyu Islands. [44]
Mainland China's insistence on the policy of a united front against Taiwan, along with the military buildup on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, has created a sense of threat for Taiwan. [45] [46] The government of the Republic of China announced the end of mobilization to fight the rebellion in 1991, thereby declaring an end to hostilities between the two sides. [47] [48]
Conflicts with Taiwan, particularly the 1995–96 Third Taiwan Strait Crisis, occurred before the first direct citizen election of the President of the Republic of China in 1995–96. [49] [50] During this time, Taiwan had just experienced the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre and the Qiandao Lake incident. [51] These conflicts have highlighted the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party and continue to influence Taiwanese politics to this day. [52] [53] The Chinese Communist Party still adheres to one-party rule. [54] [55] Some believe that the human rights situation in the People's Republic of China has continued to deteriorate after the Beijing Olympics. [56] China maintains its position of using force to resolve the Taiwan issue and has deployed approximately 2,000 missiles targeting Taiwan. [57] All of these factors have led to the discontent, concern, and strong opposition of the Republic of China and many Taiwanese people towards the increasing influence of the Chinese Communist Party and mainland China. [58]
Conflicts with several countries, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, over sovereignty in the South China Sea have caused many nations to feel threatened by mainland China. [59] Countries that have sovereignty disputes with China in the South China Sea include Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. [60] On April 24, 2021, the EU accused China of endangering peace in the South China Sea. [61] The EU has issued a new policy aimed at bolstering its influence in the Indo-Pacific in response to Chinese Century influence. [62] [63]
The perception of the threat posed by mainland China differs from time and place. [64] Further, the concept of "China threat theory" does not have a definitive stance and is sometimes even ambiguous. [3]
After the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre, some media and individuals believed that the authorities in mainland China began promoting nationalist and authoritarian political propaganda to consolidate their power. [65] [66] They successively promoted nationalist media, such as the Global Times, threatened Taiwan with force, and simultaneously increased military spending. [67] [68] They also engaged in espionage to acquire military and economic secrets from other nations. [69] They also declared sovereignty over disputed waters. [70] Outside observers have increasingly come to view mainland China as a military and political threat. [71]
The Constitution of the Republic of China stipulates that the sovereignty of the Republic of China extends to the entire territory of China. [72] The term "China threat theory" refers to the perceived threat posed by the government of the People's Republic of China, which governs mainland China. [73]
After the government of the Republic of China lifted martial law in 1987, measures such as allowing family visits and opening up cross-strait relations gradually led to a reduction in tensions; [74] However, first of all, the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre in mainland China, and later the Qiandao Lake incident, among others, have generally left Taiwanese people with a negative impression of mainland China. [75] [51]
In recent years, Taiwan has undergone a revision of the Constitution of the Republic of China and has ceased temporary provisions against the communist rebellion since 1991. [76] The Government of the Republic of China no longer considers the CCP and the Government of the People's Republic of China as enemies or rebels. [55] However, the former often discussed their perspectives and positions on various topics, including the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Chinese Civil War, the non-recognition of the Government of the Republic of China, Taiwan democratization, [77] Taiwanization, and Taiwan independence movement. [78] These discussions were deemed unacceptable by the government of the Republic of China, especially the Kuomintang. Show force and suppress Taiwan's international presence. [79]
Wang Jinping, the former president of the Legislative Yuan of the Republic of China, has stated that given mainland China's increasing military capabilities, Taiwan should take a more proactive approach in International organizations. [80] This includes strengthening alliances with the United States and Japan and continuing to enhance its self-defense capabilities. [81] These measures are necessary to ensure peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. [82] [83]
President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China believes that the democratization of mainland China has always had an impact on the process of cross-strait relations and the stability of the Taiwan Strait. [84] Democracy and human rights are Taiwan's most important assets, and Taiwan should actively support mainland China in its democratic process. [85]
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was the first Asian leader to reject the "China threat theory." [5] When the "China threat theory" prevailed in Southeast Asia in the 1990s, Mahathir once stated that China was a significant country in the region and had the potential to contribute positively to regional politics, economy, and security. [86] Therefore, he advocated for practical cooperation with China. [87] On May 26, 2012, he conducted an exclusive interview with The Nikkei regarding the "China threat theory" and stated: [6]
It is inappropriate for any country to perceive other countries as a "threat". If China wants to block it, it may resort to military expansion, which could trigger an arms race. China has been a trading nation throughout history and has never been an imperialist country. It is necessary for Asian countries to enhance mutual understanding through dialogue.
— Mahathir Mohamad
In the context of the post-Cold War era, on December 13, 1991, New York Times columnist Leslie H. Gelb wrote an article titled "Breaking China Apart". [88] Later, Charles Krauthammer wrote "Why We Must Contain China". [89] The remarks made by Major General Zhu Chenghu of the Chinese People's Liberation Army regarding US nuclear weapons have caused great controversy. [90]
China threat theory is highly popular among neoconservative circles. [91] Their idea is that the United States has a special responsibility to lead other countries towards a democratic future. [92] Additionally, they believe that the United States should strive to become the sole superpower in the world. [93]
After assuming office as the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012, Xi Jinping led China to abandon its strategy of "hiding its power and biding its time" and instead implemented the "One Belt, One Road" initiative. [94] [95] With China's comprehensive rise in various fields and the increasing threats it poses, some factions within the American Republican Party, who were previously supportive of China (such as David Shambaugh), have changed their position. [96] [97] They suggested that the US government gradually abandon its engagement policy with China and adopt a more assertive strategy. [98] Although the Republican Party and Democratic Party have serious differences and conflicts in domestic affairs, they both agree that China poses a threat to the United States' military, economic, and intellectual property rights. [99] The United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party established in 2023 in response to China threat.
On December 22, 2005, Japanese Foreign Minister ASO Taro made a statement stating that "China is becoming a threat", marking the first time a member of the cabinet had publicly raised the "China threat theory". [100] Shinzo Abe also stated that in the past 20 years, China's military spending has grown rapidly and has now reached about 20 times. [101]
On January 29, 2017, the Sunday Times reported that the Japanese Embassy in the UK paid 10000 pounds per month to the Henry Jackson Society, a right-wing think tank in the UK. [102] Some British parliamentarians who were close to the Henry Jackson Association were invited by the Japanese government to visit Japan to help Japan create and promote the China threat theory in the UK; [103] In the report of the Chinese Mainland media Global Vision, Okada Chong, a guest commentator of Kyodo News Agency, also claimed that many Japanese journalists privately lamented that "if you don't add comments criticizing China in your manuscript, your manuscript will not pass", "this is not the order of your boss, but the self-censorship of journalists", "China threat theory has become normal in Japan's speech space", and so on. [104]
The tension in military relations between China and India mainly lies in the disputed Sino-Indian border dispute between the two sides, as well as military assistance to Pakistan. [105] In May 1998, Indian Defense Minister George Fernandez promoted the statement that "China is the potential number one threat to India" after conducting a nuclear test in India. [106] Afterward, Fernandez himself withdrew this statement and expressed his desire to be friendly with China, [107] but the strengthening of India's military deployment was considered by various military experts to be aimed at China and Pakistan. [108] [109]
In the early 1960s, after the serious deterioration of Sino-Soviet relations, there were arguments about China's threat to the Soviet Union and the world. [110] After the Zhenbao Island incident in 1969, China and the Soviet Union fell into a high state of tension, [111] and due to China's subsequent mobilization action (Order No. 1), the Siberia region of the Soviet Union was quite sparsely populated and difficult to defend, raising fears of China's military threat throughout the Soviet Union. [112] This China threat ideology is also very common among the dissident Soviet intellectual community, [113] as historian Roy Medvedev wrote: [114] [115] [116]
Joseph Stalin did not fully consider Adolf Hitler's adventurism in 1941. He believed that Hitler would start from analyzing practical factors rather than from fantasies. Today, especially in the current situation of Soviet China relations, we should not forget the lessons of 1941; Because [Mao Zedong] did not act from analyzing actual factors, but from his own sometimes extremely absurd ideas about the actual situation. Therefore, we should consider the irrational risk-taking behavior from the Mao Zedong Group.
On June 15, 1993, when meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China said that China's limited national defense capabilities are entirely for self-defense and are defensive in nature. Those who spread the rhetoric of "Chinese threat" and "China needs to fill the vacuum" are actually provoking relations among Asian countries, attempting to achieve the goal of divide and rule, which will not succeed. [117] [118] After quoting the Chinese proverb "The distance you go will tell you the strength of your horse, and the time you will see will tell your heart", Jiang Zemin said that the world will see that China is and will be a staunch force in safeguarding peace in Asia and the world. [119]
Since the People's Republic of China implemented reform and opening up, China's rise in economic, political, military and other comprehensive strength, [120] and the so-called "China threat theory" has been spreading from Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the United States and other neighboring countries and world powers, indicating that the rise of foreigners on the Chinese mainland will affect and threaten their own interests. [121] [122] These countries try to use the "China threat theory" to slow down China's development or isolate China in the international arena. [123] Kuai Zheyuan pointed out that there are no more than three reasons why foreign countries propose the "China threat theory": [124]
In early 2017, the British media 'The Sunday Times' reported that Japan had invested in exaggerating China's threat theory, which was seen as a diplomatic means of trying to suppress China's development. [125]
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, also known as Formosa, lies between the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast, and the Philippines to the south. It has an area of 35,808 square kilometres, with mountain ranges dominating the eastern two-thirds and plains in the western third, where its highly urbanized population is concentrated. The combined territories under ROC control consist of 168 islands in total covering 36,193 square kilometres. The largest metropolitan area is formed by Taipei, New Taipei City, and Keelung. With around 23.9 million inhabitants, Taiwan is among the most densely populated countries.
The Taiwan independence movement is a political movement which advocates the formal declaration of an independent and sovereign Taiwanese state, as opposed to Chinese unification or the status quo in Cross-Strait relations.
Chinese unification, also known as Cross-Strait unification or Chinese reunification, is the potential unification of territories currently controlled, or claimed, by the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China ("Taiwan") under one political entity, possibly the formation of a political union between the two republics. Together with full Taiwan independence, unification is one of the main proposals to address questions on the political status of Taiwan, which is a central focus of Cross-Strait relations.
The political status of Taiwan or the Taiwan issue is an ongoing geopolitical dispute about Taiwan, currently controlled by the Republic of China (ROC), that arose in the mid-twentieth century. Originally based in mainland China before and during World War II, the ROC government retreated to Taiwan in 1949 after it was defeated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during the Chinese Civil War and the subsequent establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Since then, the effective jurisdiction of the ROC has been limited to Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and smaller islands.
One China is a phrase describing the relationship between the People's Republic of China (PRC) based on Mainland China, and the Republic of China (ROC) based on the Taiwan Area. "One China" asserts that there is only one de jure Chinese nation despite the de facto division between the two rival governments in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. The term may refer, in alphabetical order, to one of the following:
The East China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean, located directly offshore from East China. China names the body of water along its eastern coast as "East Sea" due to direction, the name of "East China Sea" is otherwise designated as a formal name by International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and used internationally.
The Chinese people, or simply Chinese, are people or ethnic groups identified with China, usually through ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or other affiliation.
Bilateralism is the conduct of political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which is activity by a single state or jointly by multiple states, respectively. When states recognize one another as sovereign states and agree to diplomatic relations, they create a bilateral relationship. States with bilateral ties will exchange diplomatic agents such as ambassadors to facilitate dialogues and cooperations.
As a result of the surrender and occupation of Japan at the end of World War II, the islands of Taiwan and Penghu were placed under the governance of the Republic of China (ROC), ruled by the Kuomintang (KMT), on 25 October 1945. Following the February 28 massacre in 1947, martial law was declared in 1949 by the Governor of Taiwan, Chen Cheng, and the ROC Ministry of National Defense. Following the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the ROC government retreated from the mainland as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China. The KMT retreated to Taiwan and declared Taipei the temporary capital of the ROC. For many years, the ROC and PRC each continued to claim in the diplomatic arena to be the sole legitimate government of "China". In 1971, the United Nations expelled the ROC and replaced it with the PRC.
The Formosa Resolution of 1955 was a joint resolution passed by the U.S. Senate and signed by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower on January 29, 1955, to counteract the threat of an invasion of Taiwan by the People's Republic of China (PRC). The resolution gave the U.S. president the authority "to employ the Armed Forces of the United States as he deems necessary for the specific purpose of securing and protecting Formosa and the Pescadores against armed attack [by the Communists]".
Cross-strait relations are the political and economic relations between China and Taiwan across the Taiwan Strait. Due to the existing controversy over the status of Taiwan and the Chinese legitimacy question, they are also not defined as diplomatic relations by either side.
The Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of China, was a defense pact signed between the United States and the Republic of China (Taiwan) effective from 1955 to 1980. It was intended to defend the island of Taiwan from invasion by the People's Republic of China. Some of its content was carried over to the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 after the failure of the Goldwater v. Carter lawsuit.
Taiwanese nationality law details the conditions in which a person is a national of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan. The Nationality Act is based on the principle of jus sanguinis, children born to at least one Taiwanese parent are automatically nationals at birth. Foreign nationals with residency in Taiwan may naturalize after continuously living in the country for at least five (5) years. Certain foreign immediate family members of Taiwanese nationals may naturalize after continuously living in the country for at least three (3) years.
China Circle refers to the economic relationship between mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. With the fast-growing economy and the development of foreign investment in China, China has become the centre of the Asian market in the 1980s. The production chain in Taiwan and Hong Kong soon merged in China and formed a new economic network named "the Circle of China".
The Act East policy is an effort by the Government of India to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia to bolster its standing as a regional power and a counterweight to the strategic influence of the People's Republic of China.
"Mutual non-recognition of sovereignty and mutual non-denial of authority to govern" is former President of the Republic of China Ma Ying-jeou's description of the relations between the Taiwan Area and Mainland China, as presented in his second inauguration speech after being re-elected in 2012. Sometimes the term special non-state-to-state relations is used in the press for this concept, following his own statements. Ma defines the relations as a "special relationship for which the model of [state] recognition under conventional international law is not applicable". This marks a departure from the views of his predecessors, former presidents Lee Teng-hui's special state-to-state relations and Chen Shui-bian's One Country on Each Side: Both defined the Republic of China (ROC) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) as states and the relationship between the two as one between two states. In Ma's view, the ROC government considers the one China as the ROC, regardless of the view of the PRC government. While neither governing authority can recognize that in the other area as a legitimate state, neither would deny the other side being the de facto governing authority of its area.
The Kuomintang (KMT) is a Chinese political party that ruled mainland China from 1927 to 1949 prior to its relocation to Taiwan as a result of the Chinese Civil War. The name of the party translates as "China's National People's Party" and was historically referred to as the Chinese Nationalists. The party was initially founded on 23 August 1912, by Sun Yat-sen but dissolved in November 1913. It reformed on October 10, 1919, again led by Sun Yat-sen, and became the ruling party in China. After Sun's death, the party was dominated from 1927 to 1975 by Chiang Kai-shek. After the KMT lost the civil war with the Chinese Communist Party in 1949, the party retreated to Taiwan and remains a major political party of the Republic of China based in Taiwan.
Alan Michael Wachman was a scholar of East Asian politics and international relations, specializing in cross-strait relations and Sino-U.S. relations. He was a professor of international politics at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. Previously he had been the co-director of the Johns Hopkins University-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies in the PRC, and the president of China Institute in America.
The People's Republic of China emerged as a great power and one of the three big players in the tri-polar geopolitics (PRC-US-USSR) during the Cold War, after the Korean War in 1950-1953 and the Sino-Soviet split in the 1960s, with its status as a recognized nuclear weapons state in 1960s. Currently, China has one of the world's largest populations, second largest GDP (nominal) and the largest economy in the world by PPP.
The history of Cross-Strait relations introduces the historical changes in the relationship between China and Taiwan since the beginning of time. Suspected records of Taiwan in the history of China date back to the earliest times, when Yizhou (island) was mentioned in the "Three Kingdoms", or Liuqiu in the "Book of Sui". During the Song dynasty and Yuan dynasties, there was trade between the two sides of the Strait, and in 1281, Kublai Khan established the Penghu Inspection Division, which began to exercise administrative jurisdiction over Penghu. In 1349, Wang Dayuan documented in Island Yi Zhi Lu that Penghu belonged to Jinjiang County, Quanzhou, and that Liuqiu was one of the overseas countries. The "Dongfan Ji", written by Chen Di in the Ming Dynasty, depicts the customs of the aborigines in southwest Taiwan. Since the 1620s, cross-strait relations have been influenced by the Dutch, the Spanish, the Han Chinese, the Manchus, and the Japanese, and mainland China and Taiwan have either unified or separated, with ups and downs.
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