Can China use its human resources strategically to become a superpower?
China and India dominated the world economy till 1800 AD accounting for 50 to 60 percent of the combined global GDP (S.R.; D.H., 2014). The world was stuck in a Malthusian trap, which is described as an equilibrium of non-growing income per capita leading to GDP being directly proportional to the population. The countries with higher populations had a higher yield and thus higher share of global GDP (Steinmann, Prskawetz, & Feichtinger, 1998). Technological advances in the industrial revolution broke this trap and propelled Europe and America as shown in Figure 1 below. The 19th and 20th centuries saw China’s GDP dwindle and other upheavals due to invasions and communism …show more content…
China in the last two decades has invested in small developing countries across Latin America, Africa, and Oceania. Chinese expatriates, state governments and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have taken the lead to invest in countries not historically aligned with China in the past. At the end of 2011, China had $366 billion invested in other countries, just shy of Australia at $385 billion (Smith & D 'Arcy, 2013).
Chinese expatriates play a significant role in Chinese influence on host countries. Countries in Africa have seen a large influx of Chinese expatriates since the mid-1990s who have the investment or the knowledge to make large infrastructure projects work. Chinese labor and project managers have been key in helping public sector and other infrastructure projects successful in Africa (Ravu & Parker, 2015). Chinese expatriate businesses are thriving and becoming the backbone of the African economy. Growing economic influence of Chinese expatriates has also opened diplomatic doorways for the Chinese government (Shi & Wang, …show more content…
China has used its political system and human capital to become the workshop of the world, growing its economy manifolds. China is investing heavily in the education of its people, infrastructure, and the Internet. Also, China has made strategic moves in global political arena and defense. These all factors give China the competitive edge to become one of the world’s superpowers.
There are analysts who point out that China lacks “political, economic and civil freedoms to become a world leader” (Adelman, 2014). Adelman further points that Chinese quality of life and commonplace technology far lags the United States. The author agrees that China is behind the curve on these factors but based on the earlier discussed research it is making substantial progress in all the areas to surpass the U.S. in the next two
China and India dominated the world economy till 1800 AD accounting for 50 to 60 percent of the combined global GDP (S.R.; D.H., 2014). The world was stuck in a Malthusian trap, which is described as an equilibrium of non-growing income per capita leading to GDP being directly proportional to the population. The countries with higher populations had a higher yield and thus higher share of global GDP (Steinmann, Prskawetz, & Feichtinger, 1998). Technological advances in the industrial revolution broke this trap and propelled Europe and America as shown in Figure 1 below. The 19th and 20th centuries saw China’s GDP dwindle and other upheavals due to invasions and communism …show more content…
China in the last two decades has invested in small developing countries across Latin America, Africa, and Oceania. Chinese expatriates, state governments and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have taken the lead to invest in countries not historically aligned with China in the past. At the end of 2011, China had $366 billion invested in other countries, just shy of Australia at $385 billion (Smith & D 'Arcy, 2013).
Chinese expatriates play a significant role in Chinese influence on host countries. Countries in Africa have seen a large influx of Chinese expatriates since the mid-1990s who have the investment or the knowledge to make large infrastructure projects work. Chinese labor and project managers have been key in helping public sector and other infrastructure projects successful in Africa (Ravu & Parker, 2015). Chinese expatriate businesses are thriving and becoming the backbone of the African economy. Growing economic influence of Chinese expatriates has also opened diplomatic doorways for the Chinese government (Shi & Wang, …show more content…
China has used its political system and human capital to become the workshop of the world, growing its economy manifolds. China is investing heavily in the education of its people, infrastructure, and the Internet. Also, China has made strategic moves in global political arena and defense. These all factors give China the competitive edge to become one of the world’s superpowers.
There are analysts who point out that China lacks “political, economic and civil freedoms to become a world leader” (Adelman, 2014). Adelman further points that Chinese quality of life and commonplace technology far lags the United States. The author agrees that China is behind the curve on these factors but based on the earlier discussed research it is making substantial progress in all the areas to surpass the U.S. in the next two