“Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” The above quote by Mao Zedong in August 1927 is a legacy etched in psyche of Chinese ruling class. Chinese insatiable appetite for power and greed to shape world order to its satisfaction is a formidable danger lurking over the world. Chinese behemoth's perpetual hunger to increase its landmass and thus yield its power and influence is the biggest threat to human kind. The rise of China isn't peaceful for its neighbors or for world at large no matter how long world ignores the inevitable threat to world peace.Chinese belligerence is at display when it comes to settling territorial disputes with its neighbors, 1962 war with India, 1979 war with Vietnam, 1969 clashes with Soviet Union are testimony to it.
For long, world ignored blatant Chinese human rights record, persecution of Buddhists,Muslims and other minorities religious or linguistic are frequent affair. China being an authoritarian state enforces strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.The Communist Party’s Anti Rightist Policy of 1957 opposed “local nationalism” among ethnic minorities and clamped down on religions. Religion was suppressed, but so was ethnic language, cultural cuisines and garb. Religious texts and religious places are destroyed, their religious leaders persecuted, and individual adherents punished but such human rights abuses are ignored by world.
After annexation of Tibet Chinese govt has deliberately altered Tibet's demography by settling millions of Chinese from mainland. This demographic change was termed as "Cultural genocide" by Tibetan spiritual guru Dalai Lama but world showed indifference and continued to do business with China. Chinese antipathy towards Buddhists in Tibet is astonishing, the peaceful Buddhists monks are frequently arrested, keeping photo of Dalai Lama is a criminal offense and when such dictates didn't yielded desired results of containing religious activities of monks Chinese govt outlawed "Reincarnation". Although bizarre and unheard before Chinese govt placed restrictions on the religious practice of reincarnation. This is a blatant abuse of human rights and meddling in the religious affairs of individuals and community,a right accepted and granted in any free society.
China forced imams from its eastern Muslim majority Xinjiang region to dance in the street
It's not the Buddhists who r frequently under the hammer of Chinese authorities but other religious minorities like Muslims are targeted routinely too. Among restrictions imposed are on clothing, forceful feeding during fasting month & vilification of religious customs. In the Xinjiang province Chinese authorities again employed the similar tactics of altering demography by settling people from mainland much to the abasement of local inhabitants. The Uyghur minorities in Xinjiang province,Buddhists in Tibet are glaring example of oppressive Chinese regime. The Chinese govt suspect the minorities and thus in order to maintain its supremacy suppress the inhabitants with impunity.
Hong Kong protesting for Democracy against Communist rule
It's not the minorities even people demanding democracy on mainland and Hong kong are brutally suppressed by communist regime of China. In order to quell political unrest and scuttle moves towards democracy Chinese govt resorted to economic reforms. Chinese economy uninterrupted march after economic reforms of 1979 has catapulted China at the center stage of world economy and authorities main concern is to continue creating jobs and uplifting large section of impoverished people thus maintaining and bringing equality to ensure political stability.Although China has a non-intervention policy in the internal affairs of foreign countries yet its degree of implementation varies constantly.
In 2009 China defined its "Core interests", and these included Tibet, Taiwan and South China Sea. It means China won't hesitate to wage a war on these Core interests despite economic concerns but its nothing more then to attain regional hegemony and lust to dominate surrounding neighborhood. Chinese growing assertiveness over territorial claims and threat of war is pushing the world on the brink of inevitable war. Chinese claims of sovereignty over entire South China Sea is contested by Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam is the biggest flashpoint in Asia. China has similar dispute with Japan on sovereignty over uninhabited Senkaku Islands.There's a mistrust and acrimony over territory with India and after Japan the biggest thorn in Chinese flesh is India's rise economically and militarily. Chinese claims over Taiwan and its agenda to unify it with mainland is equally worrisome.The clear and present danger with China is its inability to contemplate its hawkish behavior and respecting international laws.
South China Sea claims and counter claims
Chinese economy built on stimulus packages and devalued currency is unsustainable according to economists, thus to prevent unrest and deflect attention China may become more assertive over territorial claims in future .Open defiance of internationally accepted principles of free speech, individual freedom to religion,scuttling any move towards democratic process in mainland or Hong kong and disregard of sovereign claims by foreign county over territory makes China the biggest and most formidable impediment for world peace today. China has the world’s largest army with a large arsenal of short, medium range and Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) missiles. It has just built the world’s largest navy with nuclear submarines,aircraft carrier and with an increasing airpower.
The threat from China to usurp territories of surrounding nation is serious,her unending disputes and frequent skirmishes with neighbors has the potential to escalate into a full fledged war. Only concerted efforts by countries in dispute with China along with countries believing in free world around the globe in unison can effectively contain China and thwart Chinese attempts to subdue world.
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