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Larry G.

Evangelista

REACTION PAPER TO LECTURE ON CHINA'S EMERGING POWER AND ITS


IMPACT IN OUR LOCAL ARENA

The rise of China new superpower has been described in many ways. For those not directly
affected and getting advantages in this rise see this as positive while others risk and challenge to
global stability. For many years after World War 2, the United States remains the undisputed
sole Super Power after Soviet Union collapsed. Western countries see this as a potential
endangering of American influence in the region. That we have opened a new Cold War not
between USSR/Russia VS USA but from China VS USA. As discussed by Dr. Marshall Q.
Murillo, the Lecturer, China leapfrog economy started from the chairman of communist party
Deng Xiaping - in 1978 in this famous " reform and opening" which started the everything up to
now current head President Xi. In the point of the lecturer, it is due to slowly lack of interest of
U.S. to south east Asia it eventually transfer its influence to China. The pivot of Duterte's
government from U.S. to China is a major policy change by our country who is a traditional ally
of United States. In China's main motto that " in areas which our enemy leave we push " is the
major context of this Belt Road Initiatives. The impact of these changes is felt everywhere a has
implications to the countries affected and its foreign policies and business dealing in the world
The BRI - Belt Road Initiatives is the main policy by President Xi which started during his
speech in Kasakzthan, follow to other countries he targeted as a possible part of the system. This
idea started in 2013 with that visit to Astana, Kasakstahn. He's proposal of BRI originated from
Old Silk Road which ancient China use to trade with the rest of the world. He wants to revive the
trade route by land and sea to further expand the sphere of influence of China both Economically
and militarily.

Major Geopolitical Theories that in anchored in BRI are the following; 1) State bridging theory,
which is inspired by land and bridge that early humans migrated from America to other countries
in Asia, the hypothesis of "state bridging" helps to build infrastructure that encourage the flow of
economic, human and social capital by linking lands and distant countries together. 2) Tran
Terminus Theory, further the transboundary railways system can be constructed the longer the
BRI's land route it reaches and the implies further China's land path. 3) Central land theory, from
the heartland of the importance of Euroasia to the other land connected in the rest of the world.
This is the backbone of President Xi plan for his country to dominate the world and that is why
he even extended his term as a Premier which enables him to stay in power longer. There will be
many obstacles in this enormous project and setbacks may delay the main goal. If United States
and its allies just stay silent then we will just wake up one day that the world is dominated by a
country that is not democratic and has a lot to be questioned with. They are very proud of their
high-speed trains and road networks as their sample to the countries they want to involved in
their project. Small countries and third-world countries are very vulnerable to this Debt trap
diplomacy. Major ports have been constructed in concessional loans to countries and when they
are not able to pay, is the time they will take over the property. An example of this is Djibouti in
Africa and Sri Lanka in Asia with both countries losing strategic ports to control by China.
My personal reaction to the lecture is very positive, and it raises my sense of patriotism. In our
small way as an individual Filipino citizen and as a taxpayer we need to be vocal against this
BRI of China, of which the real intension is hidden. The availability of many other financial
institutions such as, IMF, World Bank, and other rich countries that offer soft loans has been
already there ever since. It is just this institution that requires a certain moral obligation to the
borrowing country and also the financial capability to pay in the future. They have to be aligned
with Western standard of governance while in China's loan, there are no major requirements, but
the interest rate is high. Giving loans to countries controlled by Autocratic rulers, dictators, and
unstable governments doesn't deter China from giving them lucrative loans of which makes there
financial situation worst to non-payment. They want to eventually grab the important state assets
and control the government's foreign policies in favor of China. In my point of view, we as MBA
students has to do our part no matter how small it is, just like what the Lecturer said " even by
firmly saying to another foreign person that we own the West Philippine Sea by virtue of
winning Hague Arbitral Ruling '' and by making a statement both social media and normal
conversation that we don't agree with what Duterte Administration foreign policy towards China.
Major infrastructure projects under this administration must be scrutinized, and we must stay
vigilant and such an example is the Kaliwa Dam. This project just comes up very fast in the
middle of a water supply shortage in Metro Manila. Is this just a coincidence or just the correct
time to expedite this of also happens to be funded by China and the contractor is also Chinese.
When I am working in Zambia back then, I was really curious why the locals are angry with
China while they build and fund their projects. Seeing this in my own country really saddens me
as we know that the people that will bear the payment of this loans is the next generation and us
losing sovereignty over a greedy country. Thus, in our own way, we must speak ourself of
rejection to our government foreign policy towards China.

Yeo Jun Yan, 2018, July 21. Developing 3 Theories to explain the Belt and Road initiative (BRI)
on land. www.medium.com

Noel M. Morada. The Rise of China and regional Responses

Wikipedia, 2019. China Economic Reform

Dr. Marshall Q. Murillo, 2019. Lecture on China’s Emerging Power and its impact in Local
Arena

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