Does China have Feet of Clay?
The west may still be struggling to recover from the scars of the financial turmoil which wreaked havoc in the developed world, but for China the picture is different. The country registered a growth rate of 10.7% in the fourth quarter of 2009. China's burgeoning economy and its ability to shield itself from the ills which plagued the west last year, have compelled observers to conclude that the balance of economic power is shifting, and that this may be irreversible in the long run. Other skeptics conclude that this will cause wrenching changes in the global economy. President Obama's 'engagement approach' and a wavering China policy have done little to placate these fears. If anything, this has only reinforced a rather gloomy picture. Yes, China is rising. But what should concern us more is the manner in which this rise will affect the international order. It is often contended that when the 'baton of power' shifts from the U.S to China, the worl...