Association to replace Roman Catholic. Another unfair factor is that religious people aren’t allowed to work with the government as they say being openly religious can affect the economy. Other rights that people should have are No child policy where people can have as many babies, so no girls are being abandoned, Labour rights, as people should not have small wages for long hour of work. China also has problems with the whole of African continent as they treated those Africans poorly during the 1990’s and in 2005 it still happen as Manfred Nowak (human rights lawyer) visited China to observe the country. He complained the officials for not letting him interview people and say what he want to say, he also said the discrimination can be seen widespread.
The economy of the PRC has increased so much during the past 10 years. Their economy is fourth largest in the world. The value of their Gross National Product was 2.63 trillion in 2006, which is extremely high, but there’s one thing we shouldn’t be forgetting; they also have the largest population, which average the GDP per capita to roughly £1,000 whilst it’s around £25,000 in countries like Ireland, Switzerland and Denmark. As economy in China is rapidly increasing, it’s also facing labour shortage, wages demand and less service. Workers are quitting agricultural jobs to get industry job. The wages of worker have been raised to an average of £ 55 a month but as Industry increase, pollution increases. China emits 19% of the world CO2 emissions that is a real shame. The Kyoto Protocol does not require China to reduce its emission, as their status is “Developing Country “not” Developed. A world health organisation reported that seven out of the ten most polluted are in China. 30% of acid rain falls on the country. It is estimated that 7% of the GDP per annum must be spend to control the environmental problem so far only 1% is spent on this trouble; this show China’s lack of environmental concern. Main economic area for China is it’s eastern coast where most of their economy rely. This also create another problem, the equality of income isn’t same throughout China as it should be, City such as Ürümqi, Péking, Shanghai, Canton, Shenzhen et cetera receives most of the high income when city such as Lanzhou, Lhasa et cetera receives a lot lesser.
Health of the Chinese can be considered as very poor at the moment that they were ranked 144 out of 191 by The World Health Report. The life expectancy for China s of 2006 is 73, this have been a huge improvement since 1950 when it was 32 but can still be considered low compared to countries like Sweden, Switzerland and Japan whose expectancy is over 80. Their infant mortality currently is 23 per thousand people, which aren’t very bad compared to others for example Singapore and Japan (2). Health Development Index of the PRC is medium as it stood at 0.768 as of 2007. As Chinese economy has grown rapidly, health problems also have. Some of the problems they face now are Air pollution (this killed 760,000 people per annum alone), cigarette smokers is also another problem as the number increases each year and Urban youngster can also be overweight as Chinese at average take in 2,940 calories a day (25% more than what Food and Agriculture Organisation suggested). China lacks doctors, 680 people per one doctor doesn’t sound too bad but they still need more doctors so that those with sickness could be attended and cared for more. Schizophrenia are suffered 7.8 million Chinese and only 60% is being cared for properly. Male also outnumber female in China as they have the superstition of boys are better than girls, this leaves hundred of thousands baby girls orphaned.
2.3 million is the number of the People’s Liberation Army, the largest force in the world plus it’s 500,000-reserve force. The number have actually decreased from 4 million from 1980 compared to another emerging super power such as India who has an armed force of 1.3 million from 500,000 in 1960s. Military personnel should not be all that counts but reserves should also be
taken into account, China has a reserve force of five hundred thousand compared to Taiwan which has 1.5 million. The result from 1980 is that their army have decreased twice the number from 1980 (from 120 divisions to 60). The spending on military have also decreased.
“China can defend itself from foreign occupation and remain a regional status-quo power, but it is not a rising or threatening power” James H. Nolt, 2006
Chinese military use to create it’s own weapons but this stopped in 1980’s when their weapons were made of the very worst quality and workmanship. An Incident occurred when it sold Thailand and Burma what they claimed to be “A NEWLY MADE CHINESE FRIGATES” after the delivery both discovered that the vessels were purely rubbish that can’t float properly. The Thais later demanded they give them a new one with an empty hull, as they’ll modernise it themselves. After all the Chinese military doesn’t seemed to be very strong as it’s viewed. Professor James H. Nolt even says it can’t even beat those of Vietnam, Taiwan or India. Their possession of nuclear weapons may fill them in for the nuclear criterion. They have never launched one before and stated it themselves that they will never use it, this have put them off for being a nation with nuclear power.
Resources that China lacks can be a huge problem. It produces 6.9 tonnes of oil equivalent per capita and it consumes 7.3, this is a huge problem they found a way to dealt with the way which is not very reliable. In 2004 Wen Jinbao the prime minister offered Russia almost £ 6,000,000,000 for energy purchase. China therefore rely on Russia for energy, Russia could use this as a weapon and they did but not to China, In 2005 Vladimir Putin cut off energy supply to Ukraine as it wants higher price for energy. Russia may not be very reliable for this source either. Some of the other things they lack off may be public transportation where there
is an average of 2 buses per one thousand people. Some of the children in China still lack education, as 10% of the children under age 15 are literate.
With all these weaknesses revealed, does China fit in the definition of “World Power”: The answer is resounding no. Not now or anywhere in the future like others who say China will someday be a world power. Their current government won’t last longer than 30 years, when they collapse the idea of China being a world power will start to fade away and a more favourable China would be reality.
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