Rise of China (China's Strategy on the Path to Great Power)

Author: Zhang Jianjing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Kong Shangren, the author of The Peach Blossom Fan, described the rise and fall of human affairs as follows: "He saw the towers rise, he saw the banquets held, he saw the towers fall." A seemingly powerful force is often fragile; it cannot withstand an attack by a pandemic, a small band of barbarians, the death of a leader, or even a few rumors. A monument to victory is built overnight, only to become a monument to failure the next moment. A nation sails on the river of time. For an emerging power, recognizing this is crucial. In the competition among nations, the defeated nation's failure is either because its system cannot produce enough power, or because its system cannot produce control—sometimes one or the other, sometimes both. While having great power is good, without control over that power, even great power is not enough. Conversely, even a weak force, if properly controlled, will seek goals consistent with its strength, thereby avoiding failure. For China in the 21st century, how to handle and utilize its newly acquired power is a matter of life and death.