Post-Cold War Pax-Americana

Since the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Moscow’s influence across the globe diminished over night. Since then, the U.S. has been unmatched economically, militarily or politically, which has led people to describe the post-Cold War era “Pax-Americana,” from the Roman Pax-Romana or Roman peace.

This has allowed the US to enjoy hegemony over the international community, and drive decision making to benefit of U.S. interests across the globe.

However, during this same period China’s economy has grown to be the second largest in the world, giving China the economic power needed to project economic, political and military power and influence.

The rise of China

The 2010s marketed the beginning of the a new age for China, becoming the worlds second-largest economy and the world’s largest exporter has given China the financial ability to project power and challenge US hegemony and influence in multiple domains.

 

 

Significant Events

2010– China Surpasses Japan as world’s second largest economy and Germany as worlds largest exporter. China’s large economy and export revenue will help finance Chinese power projection.

2012– China beings regional power projection into the South China Sea.

2013– One Belt One Road Initiative created. This initiative is heavily linked to Chinese over seas lending, securing natural resources and expanding economic ties with developing nations.

2016– Tiangong-2 space lab successfully launched into space. China now possesses the financial and technological capability to conduct space missions.

2017– PLAN Navy increase blue water power capabilities; launches first aircraft carrier and first overseas base (Djibouti). These two events showcases China’s move from a brown water navy to a blue water navy. A navy that is able to project power globally.

2018– Xi Jinping removes term limits and announces retaliatory tariffs against Trump administration trade tariffs. Start of the U.S.-Chinese trade war.

2020– Chinese overseas lending surpasses 5% of the global GDP.

2022– Xi Jinping calls for the replacement of the US Dollar with the Chinese Yuan for international oil transactions; cites China being world’s largest importer of oil.

2023– China brokers diplomatic normalization of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Chin

U.S.-Chinese Competing Interests

Chinese growing influence and power projection has already begun to overlap and confront US interests abroad. China’s national interests are most certainly at odds with US interests which provides little to no room for easing of tensions.

China’s One Belt One Road initiative and overseas crediting focuses heavily on infrastructure and natural resource deposits in sub-Saharan Africa; this includes many countries that also receive strategic US AID such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Mozambique. Critics of the China’s overseas lending have described it as debt trapping and a way to exert Chinese influence through economic and political leverage. Zero-Sum Game Mentality

Zero-Sum Game Mentality

A zero-sum game, as defined by Marriam-Webster, situation in which one person or group can win something only by causing another person or group to lose it.

In the context of international relations theory, both countries are engaging in mentalities and tactics that mimic an individual that is playing a zero sum game, such as monopoly. The world is the board, and any areas or domains that are being dominated by Chinese influence or power projection is a US loss, and vice versa.

We have seen this mentality especially in the ongoing trade disputes between the two nations, most particularly in the semi-conductor industry.