China the World Leader: China as the strongest power by 2050, singular vision for economics politics and defense


Summary

China’s actions around the world in 2019 are so significant that China is close to becoming the most influential country worldwide. China’s actions can be viewed as a hand in a global card game, cards being played one by one across multiple economic, political and military areas of competition with a single unified purpose in mind, to ultimately win the game.

Chinese leaders have made no bones about their plans to make China the “most important nation” on the planet by 2050 and various tactics are being deployed across multiple industries in order to achieve this aim. However, there is much commentary on Chinese expansion and general concern from western analysts as they wrongly presume that China is hell bent on military or economic domination.

The truth is much more evasive as China is looking for a competitive edge and has shown no signs of outright aggression in the vast majority of global conflicts. Chinese strategic efforts around the globe are far from perfect and many have ended up counterproductive and regressive for the Chinese state. That being said, China is an ambitious competitor and its willingness to invest heavily around the world is to make the country an increasingly important global player.


Key Highlights

  • A Chinese company buying a leading foreign company has become an increasingly common story published in the international business press, especially for titles based in Europe. Though the specific reasons for why Chinese companies are so keen to buy foreign companies vary, a common thread is the importance of gaining access to foreign markets and thus exerting influence to suit Chinese interests. Dystopian analysis, however, is wide of the mark. Chinese companies are building international portfolios as a means of wielding a greater influence on global business affairs rather than for world domination. Yet now those plans are running into trouble and the Chinese expansion is coming under strain.
  • In technology and defense, China needs to collect intellectual property and learn how to build advanced weapons or the best mobile phones so that it can become the key global manufacturer selling to the world and retaining the best for itself. Politically the country needs allies and diplomatic favor so it funds huge infrastructure projects all over the world, which has the additional benefit of providing assets and income in years to come. China has ambitions to control what it sees as its territory in the South China Sea and it has to become a significant naval power in order to do so, this has the side benefit of allowing China more clout on the international stage further enhancing its status. Not all of China’s ploys are successful however and many are becoming counterproductive, but at the current rate of progress it is hard to see China not at least drawing parallel with the US by 2050 if not ahead in global power terms.
  • Chinese technology companies are now a global force having successfully become market leaders not only domestically but also popular across many advanced economies. Major problems exist, however. Big Chinese technology companies are vulnerable to trade disruptions; loss of intellectual property within China, destroying unique selling points and commercial value, is another. Undoubtedly technological innovation has been rapid, driving global expansion, but that is now under pressure. The business environment for the likes of Huawei is becoming much tougher amid US diplomatic efforts directed towards stemming the international business of that company.




Scope

  • Look at China’s influence on the global stage and how it is developing
  • See what industries China is focusing on and why
  • Learn about what goals China has in mind and why
  • See the problems that China will encounter over the coming decade




Reasons To Buy

  • Why is China building up its defense industry?
  • What are China’s long term goals?
  • What obstacles will China face in future?
  • How strong is its economic outlook?
  • Can China become the "most important" country within twenty years?