The Rise of China

Catalog description

The rise of China is one of the most important developments that took place after the end of the Cold War. Today, China claims its rightful status as a great power. In this course, we will examine three facets of China’s rise: economic, military, and diplomatic. We will begin by analyzing the reasons for China’s remarkable economic growth after 1978 and by examining the multiple domestic challenges that make the sustainability of this growth uncertain. We will then turn to China’s military modernization and will focus on some scenarios under which China’s military prowess could pose a threat to the United States. A substantial portion of the course will be devoted to analyzing China’s bilateral relations with its neighbors and its global reach in Latin America and Africa. Part of those discussions will focus on China’s One Belt One Road initiative. We will end this course by examining China’s attempt to build soft power through cultural diplomacy, such as the opening of Confucius institutes around the world and the hosting of the 2008 and 2022 Olympics. By the end of the course, students will have a more balanced view of the dangers and opportunities that China’s rise affords for the future of international relations.