After years of the USA hegemony, we are now facing movements towards a new balance of power led by China. With a GDP increase rate that got weakened, but that is still growing at a rate higher than 6% per year, the biggest country of Asia became the center of intense economic and political conflicts with the USA throughout 2018. Meanwhile, Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, became deeply engaged in policies to remilitarise the country amid possible threats coming from China. However, no one attracted more the spotlight than North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un. After endless rhetoric with President Trump and dozens of ballistic tests over Japan’s territory, Kim Jong Un became the first North Korean leader to visit the South and shake hands with its president. In spite of all non-measured tweets and statements from Trump, the two Koreas finally made some steps towards some positive diplomacy. Still, North Korean actions are still ambiguous, and some specialists highlighted the influence of China on North Korean actions. Before the epic summit with Trump, Kim Jong Un met with China’s president Xi Jinping three times.
While some political scientists say that the movement in Asia has clear patterns of an economic war similar to the Cold War, with little chances to culminate into an armed conflict, others highlight the similarity of the actual scenario with the moment pre-WWII. We see a shift of monetary power due to China’s economic success, a rebirth of nationalism, leaders with strong personalities and a moment of economic recession right after some scattered global growth. On top of that, China keeps expanding its military power, Japan is investing a huge amount of money to increase its arsenal and the intentions of North Korea still remain unclear.
Furthermore, leaving aside the possibility of a war with its focus on Asia, another factor which preoccupies society in general is the spread of the Chinese economic model. Back in 2017, the Communist Party of China, the only party existing in the country, held its 19th National Congress. For the occasion, Chinese leaders highlighted the importance of China on making huge ‘contributions to mankind’. There are no clear interpretations of what future international moves China will take, however, the control over the country’s citizens and media raise many doubts regarding the future of international democracy, in case China becomes the new world’s superpower.
Be informed
Although Asia seems like another reality, far from the West, the movements in China, Japan and the two Koreas are influencing the whole world. Still, besides criticising or being scared of any Asian country, try to learn more about their reality and culture. What is happening now is possibly one of the most important and sensitive historical moments of our generation and it will definitely affect our lives in the long run.
by Mateus Bagatini
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Illustration by Ewelina Skowrońska
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