As a vital artery of trade for many of the world’s largest economies, the South China Sea has garnered significant attention. Reports on the South China Sea frequently misrepresent the value of trade that annually transits the waterway. Learn more about trade flows in the region with this ChinaPower exclusive.
The entry of China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, attracts considerable attention from both the press and military observers around the world. It represents China’s global power for some, and a significant step towards a more assertive Chinese navy for others.
Encouraged by Beijing’s “Go Global” strategy, Chinese firms have expanded into foreign markets to acquire resources and assets while spurring domestic innovation. Overseas investment allows China to bolster its own economy and leverage its economic power to expand its influence abroad.
China is seeking to enhance its domestic capacity for scientific and technological innovation by building a permanent manned space station. Developing further space capabilities can enhance China’s international prestige and enhance its technological prowess.
China’s decades-long economic boom has generated a new set of demographic demands and environmental challenges. These emerging issues have affected China’s agricultural capacity as well as food security, and constrain China’s social and economic stability.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative aims to enhance the country’s connectivity with the world through developing infrastructure and cultural ties. Economic integration and development under this initiative can further strengthen China’s power in Eurasia and beyond.
China’s economic development has lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese out of poverty and led to a burgeoning middle-class. Yet, this demographic shift has also led to new environmental, political, and social challenges to China’s domestic security.
5 years after commissioning the Liaoning, China launched its second aircraft carrier – the Type 001A – on April 26, 2017. This ship features some notable enhancements over the Liaoning, and represents an important step in China’s developing aircraft carrier program.
