Gallarotti, Nelson on China’s Rising Power

On a recent episode of WNPR’s ‘Where We Live,’ Giulio Gallarotti, professor of government, and Michael Nelson, assistant professor of government, discussed China’s rising national profile and the Western perceptions of Chinese power.

According to the WNPR broadcast, China reports a $20.8 billion trade surplus for December, $191 billion for the year and the world is cowering in fear of China’s rapid rise to power. Goldman Sachs predicts China’s and U.S. economies will be equivalent in size around 2027.

As a result, recent polls show that Americans think the U.S. is in a downward spiral and China is the new rising superpower.

At 30:10, Gallarotti says ““There’s a natural tendency for military operations to go along with economic expansion  … What you’ll find is that as China’s economic wings stretch, also its military wings will stretch … to show they have the capacity, the muscle to back up their claims and protect economic networks.”

At 44:15, Nelson says : “There’s a natural tendency for military operations to go along with economic expansion  … What you’ll find is that as China’s economic wings stretch, also its military wings will stretch … to show they have the capacity, the muscle to back up their claims and protect economic networks.”