by Clifford Coonan
China is rising fast and is expected to eclipse the United States
economically in the future - its gross domestic product is tipped to
overtake that of America by 2045.
While Mr Bush has only given Mr Hu an hour of his time for a state lunch,
the global balance of power is changing and in future meetings, the Chinese
will set the timetable.
The rise of China is posing awkward questions for the US, along with the
realisation that its days as the world's economic superpower are numbered.
Some analysts see America entering a period of "managed decline" not unlike
that which Britain has experienced since the end of the Second World War and
the end of empire. . . .
FULL TEXT
Adam Dunn, "Did the Chinese
Discover America?," CNN.com, January 13, 2003
[The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which maintained it had no
plans for expansion, is now changing course. Mongolia, Iran, India and
Pakistan, which previously had observer status, will become full members.--M
K Bhadrakumar, "China,
Russia welcome Iran into the fold," Asia Times, April 18, 2006]
Howard W. French, "Letter from China: Is it a
'peaceful rise'? U.S. shouldn't bet on it," International Herald Tribune,
April 20, 2006
Bill Gertz, "More
muscle, with eye on China," Washington Times, April 20, 2006
Paul Vallely and Clifford Coonan, "China's
enemy within: The story of Falun Gong," Independent, April 22, 2006
[China may have already become the world's biggest polluter . . . much of
China's emissions growth was being driven by consumers in the West buying
Chinese goods, . . . China's emissions per person were still well below
those of rich nations.--Roger Harrabin, "China building
more power plants," BBC News, June 19, 2007]