China is a country that has been at the centre of controversies since the last year. This calls for an analysis of China’s present policy structure, which is quite different from whatit used to be post 1970.
The main difference is that under Xi, China aims to become more of hard power as compared to its Soft Power Approach before. The policy before,sought to be a more responsible world power, that would not seek to establish its dominance. Instead, China aimed to focus on dialogue and peaceful resolution of disputes as well as growth in all spheres equally.
The present day WOLF WARRIOR DIPLOMACY of Xi Zinping is the complete opposite. What has been covered today are the policies China is following currently. We will even look into how effective these will be in the long run.
CHINA ‘S PRESENT POLICY AIMS
We can see that China is walking on American footsteps, which is ironic in itself. Just like them, China too aims to achieve the “Global Power Status”. We will now see how it has left no stone unturned in establishing its hegemony on the world.
- China has mastered “Emerging Tech” which includes all those technologies that are in the developing stages. These technologies will go on to create great socio-economic as well as cultural and political impact. In this case, we are referring to 5G and Quantum Computing. Huawei has been making strides in the former and thus, has been banned in many rival nations like USA.
- It’s also mastering in other tech related developments like A.I. as well forced technology transfer and stealing.
- Through initiatives like O.B.O..R/B.R.I , C.P.E.C and Port Development in Djibouti, Hambandota and Gwadar, China is aiming to create its own power bloc and expanding its network of allies. Pakistan, Nepal, Turkey, Malaysia and many more nations are a apart of this alliance.
- China is working towards building its military such, that t becomes a force to be reckoned with. This is evident by China possessing the biggest Navy in the world. Apart fro this, it’s also restructuring its armed forces. Taking a page out of USA’s book, China has also started to set up “Joint Theater Commands”. This is in addition to the rapid military build-up & modernization that China is carrying out in order to rival the US Army by 2049.
ISSUES WITH THIS POLICY
A policy isn’t great just because it sounds like that on paper. The practicality and multi-sectoral impact is what affects its implementation. Implementation thus, becomes a different ballgame altogether. It’s this practicality that will create hurdles in this approach.
Uighur Concentration Camps 
Hong Kong protesting China’s Extradition Law
- Since the Xi Jingping Era, the Chinese government has increasingly become more dominant in all spheres of life. Thus, the Chinese economy has increasingly become dependent on the public sector. In this backdrop, more expenditure on the above and less on market reforms will only add to the high debt and unproductive economy troubling China’s economy presently.
- Xi slowed down market reforms purposely to make the economy more dependent on him. This is because his authority in the CCP has recently been reducing due to the increasing corruption in party ranks.
- More money diverted into military means less money invested in health and education.
- China cannot expect to create strong network of alliances if it continues the violation of human rights and erosion of freedoms. The recent law that extradites any accused citizen of Hong Kong to face trial in China, is a blanket violation of Hong Kong’s autonomy. Also, China’s torture treatment of Uighur Muslims in Concentration Camps haven’t been hidden from anyone.
- China wants to modernize it’s army on the lines of the USA, but pays little attention to improving the quality of education in Science & Tech as well as in math. These were the Founding Stones for the eventual success of the West.
- Most of the projects under the BELT ROAD INITIATIVE have become financially nonviable as a result China is scaling them back. Considering this was one of the main ways through China was building alliances, this is a big diplomatic setback.
- China needs to work really hard on building it’s alliances, if that is one of its primary policies. This is because China is isolated in today’s world, especially in the post covid world.