Assess Asse ss the the view view that that Nati Nation onal alis ism m is mor more a bane bane than than a boon boon for for Chin Chinas as development as a global power. After China’s opening up in 1978, what has been driving China forward to become an economic power house is not communism or an other ideolog but nationalism and a desire to ma!e China a great nation"what #i $in %ing toda will call the China &ream. 'hile nationalism is a boon for China’s development as a global power as it spurs her forward in her desire to restore her glorious past as a great nation, China’s brand of nationalism incorporates a tinge of vengefulness which ma sometimes ma!e it a bane for her development as it generates opposition and resistance resistance to her growth. Nevertheless, this essa see!s to argue that nationalism is more of a boon than a bane for China’s development as a global power as the impetus for her to grow as provided b nationalism is ver strong and the desirable e(ects of it are onl peripheral and temporal. Nationalism is more of a boon than a bane for China’s development as a global power because the desire to recover her lost status as a powerful and glorious nation is the past gives China a ver strong and determined attitude which ma!es her resilie resilient nt and stead stead in her develo developme pment. nt. )hough )hough no e*act e*actl l the same same wa wa things were, the desire to regain is prestige to the level of the past is about there. )raditionall, )raditionall, China China has seen itself as ta!ing the center stage stage of the world where where the world world’s ’s happen happening ings s revol revolve ve aroun around d it. Arou Around nd this this centr centre, e, other other count countrie ries s or dominions pa deference to China. +ast in territor and rich in resources, resources, China was ver condent and secured in self-sustenance. )he building of the reat 'all to bloc! out barbarians without much attempts to trade with other countries is a sign of this. this. )he /our /our reat reat 0nventions 0nventions of paperma paperma!ing !ing,, the compass, compass, gunpowde gunpowder, r, and printing show that China at one point in time used to be the most advanced countr. sed to and still does, in numerical terms, China has the largest arm in the world. 2owever, China’s brand of nationalism ma be a bane for her development as a global power because the vengefulness it bears ma in turn generate oppositions oppositions to tr to impede its growth. )he Chinese sees the 133-plus ears beginning in the mid19th centur where the countr was sliced up b 'estern power and $apan as the worst humiliation the nation has ever had and it still has not forgotten that and probabl probabl never will. 0t was also the time when China reali4ed, for the rst time in its 5333-ear histor, that it was no longer a glorious nation. )his has repercussions repercussions on China’s foreign after 1978 in ma!ing her more aggressive to assert her stand to negate that past image of a pushover. Nationalism has made China realistic in stating her priorities and formulating formulating a wellcalculated diplomatic doctrine that can direct her to global greatness while stirring the least opposition. )o )o attain great power status, China needs to maintain peaceful international conditions that enable it to focus on domestic development. Chinese leaders from &eng to #i have repeated stressed 6eiing commitment to %eaceful &evelopment that China would not become a hegemonic power even as it turns stronger. China focus on aggressive economic reforms has result its adoption of peace peace and develo developme pment nt as centra centrall theme themes s of diplom diplomac ac. %eace eace and stabil stabilit it facilitate progress in economic diplomac b opening up mar!ets and attracting investments. China continues to concentrate on improving relations, engaging in construc constructive tive dialogue dialogue,, normali4 normali4ing ing and managing managing of historica historicall issues issues with other other
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countries. )he Chinese leaders want to improve China’s image in the international communit such that it can become a great power. 2owever, nationalism ma sometime go a little out of hand and inevitabl force China to ta!e a more assertive than necessar diplomatic stance in asserting their claims over disputed territories. China is not alwas able to abide b their peaceful diplomatic doctrine. China has demonstrated her assertiveness in the global search for natural resources and energ needs b ercel contesting for territories rich in energ around her peripher to the e*tent that China is willing to go to war even though the have alwas and for a long time not been part of China’s domestic concern. /rom the :pratl 0slands in the :outh China :ea with +ietnam, )aiwan, ;alasia, and %hilippines to the :en!a!u 0slands or &iaoutai with $apan in the
uire energ. /or fear that )aiwan ma declare independence with the support of the :, 6eiing has issued war threat to )aiwan. Nevertheless, a shrewd CC% government that is far-sighted far-sighted enough to adhere to the peacef peaceful ul diplom diplomati atic c doctri doctrine ne when when neces necessar sar has allowe allowed d China China to gain gain more more strategicall as it chooses to conduct peaceful negotiations over armed con=icts in its dealings with other countries. China is aware that handling of territorial claims will will a(ect a(ect is inter internat nation ional al credi credibil bilit it. 2ence, 2ence, China China’s ’s condu conduct ct of foreig foreign n polic polic alternates alternates between between heav and soft approach approaches. es. China China has consiste consistentl ntl reected reected armed intervention in the a(airs of other states. 6eiing has repeated a?rmed its no-rst use pledge on nuclear weapons. <*cept battles against +ietnamese up till 1988, which to the Chinese are for self defense, 6eiing advocated negotiations over militar confrontation in all in territorial disputes. 6eiing has di(used potential armed tensions with :outheast Asia through the )reat of Amit and Cooperation with A:
