China: Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control, Essay Example

China has developed of late as one of the biggest forces n the eastern economies. The biggest driver towards China achieving the economic status it enjoys today is the presence of a hardworking labour force as well as the availability of cheap labour to spur industrial development (MacFarquhar 1987). China has grown to the extent of challenging the countries hitherto referred to as the economic power houses for export markets especially in Africa and the Middle East. The success of China has however not gone down well with every one. This is further underlined by the fact that the strides that China has made in economic and technological development have made china bold to the point of seeming an international snob and ended up being viewed as having underhand dealings and competitor violations in the international market.

China has been active in the development of nuclear weapons. They have advanced in the development of their nuclear programme to the point of being declared a nuclear weapon state in the UN Security Council (Robert Manning 3). This is further underlined by the fact that China and the other nuclear weapons states have signed non-targeting agreements. Besides being a technological powerhouse, China is also regarded as a nuclear state with the capability to launch nuclear attacks against its aggressors. The fact that China has the nuclear capabilities it is said to have has been the defining point of its relationships with the other countries.

China has had a frosty relationship with the United States mainly because of the nuclear capability that China is believed or seen to have. China has continued to worry the other nuclear weapons states. The United States being the world superpower is at the top of the list of these worried states. Similarly the fact that China has signed a not targeting agreement with the other states has not acted to give any assurances to the other states. China has a very cautious approach to matters of national security and state privacy; this was seen more clearly during the Olympic games of 2008. The areas that journalists were allowed to visit and cover were quite controlled. This only heightened the suspicious relationship that existed between China and the rest of the world and more specifically the United States.

The efforts by the United States to have China tow its line and support it in its endeavours at international dominance have made United States an enemy of the Chinese. Activities such as the invasion of Iraq have seen United States labelled as an aggressor country. United States is therefore regarded as an oppressor by the Chinese especially as far as their technological advancements are concerned. The fact that China has invaded what was hitherto regarded as United States bilateral trade partners and markets has not done anything to improve the situation China has therefore marked the United States both as political and a technological ally as well an economic foe. This has even gone to appoint where any product owing its origin to China is looked at with suspicion. China on the other hand has continued with its programmes unperturbed.  This is especially a follow up to the 1959 Chinese invasion of Tibet which United States Condemned all the way to the senate

The United States might not be the only country having a lukewarm relationship with China. Another such country having a not so warm relationship with the China is Japan. Since the days of World War II when suspicion  was the bottom line of the relationship between China and the Japan and when tension reigned high, things have improved but not to the point of Japan having a cordial and open relationship with other neighbouring countries. Japan  in some instances has shown open opposition to Chinas policies and activities especially those that involve invasion of other states. This was especially the case when China decided to invade Tibet and thereby Japan started viewing China as a potential aggressor.  Besides United States and Japan, there are other countries that have shown no too good relationships with the China. These countries include Iran which is viewed as having an openly confrontational foreign policy. This is especially as a far as the current Iran presidents stand on nuclear armament is concerned. While China is working hard alongside the other UN nuclear weapon states to ensure that all the countries that are in the UN non Nuclear Weapons States are disarmed, Iraq views this as a gross violation of its liberties. To this end Iran has protested bitterly and claimed that China alongside the other Nuclear weapon states have appointed themselves as the world watchdog with their self righteousness a major reason for the disagreements. North Korea is also in this list if the states that are known to have no very open relationship with the China where they treat each other with suspicion.

China however has its own share of friends in its efforts to raise its economic and technological profile in the world. Top on the list of the Chinas friends is India. Though the two countries were involved in border war, they have since opened their borders for them to access each others territory across the Himalayas. China has therefore viewed India as a key ally in its effort to stabilise its export market since India is a highly populous country whose demand for Chinese product cannot be underestimated.

Other countries that are viewed as being allies of the China include Pakistan and Taiwan. These countries serve as key economic allies of the Chinese, it is however vital to note that of late Chinas relationship with the United States have improved. Overall the China has its own fair share of friends and enemies alike. The enemies view the China as being overly aggressive in its handling of international affairs while the friends view the efforts of the China as vital international business.

Works Cited

MacFarquhar, Roderick “The succession to Mao and the end of Maoism”. in Roderick Mac Farquhar. The Politics of China (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. 1987.  p. 320.

Manning Robert. ‘’China: Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control’’. 08 August 2009. <www.taiwandocuments.org/cfr01.PDF>.