Has the threat posed by China to international security been overstated?

Abstract

This article evaluates whether the threat posed to international security by a rising China has been overstated. The literature analyzed during the research reveals that China’s rise does most definitely pose a threat to international security, a threat widely interpreted as being of an economic, military, and ideological nature. The article argues that claims of a China threat have not been overstated, but they have been misguided. There has been an overfocus upon China’s military build-up, as well as focusing upon the events of the economic development of China, as opposed to concentrating on the consequences of this economic development. It is fundamental that the appropriate factors of the threat are focused upon and considered, in order for the international community to adapt and respond in a manner that minimizes the impact upon international security, as the threat is likely to grow in significance over future decades, as China’s phenomenal rise continues.