The People’s Republic of China has, obviously, been trying to occupy the position of the world’s second superpower after the demised of the Soviet Union. The Chinese republic has adopted a three-pronged method to achieve this goal. It has to prove to the world that it is a very powerful country by building a huge nuclear arsenal. Then it has to lessen its economic woes aggravated by a rapidly rising population. The country will also have to dominate foreign markets while opening up its own markets to foreign businessmen and products.

China has already stockpiled a large number of nuclear warheads and missiles with infinite destructive potential.

On the economic front, China has been thriving and making forays into foreign markets with a unique economic system based on cheap labor. The labor force has been adapted to manufacturing techniques borrowed from the West. Hong Kong and Shanghai have helped a lot in achieving China’s industrial success.

China has been forging ahead in the foreign markets. It has been moving forward adroitly, particularly exploiting its relations with the countries that have differences of opinion with the Western countries.

In fact China started making a strong presence in the international market in 1972.

The United States has been trying to stop the ambitious Chinese with various kinds of counter moves such as the propaganda that China is not a democracy and it practices large-scale human rights violations.

Besides adopting an intimidating posture against Beijing, Washington has also been applying pressure on China’s neighbors and allies not to cooperate with it. The US also supplied Taiwan with advanced weaponry threatening the safety of China.

China is aware of the US attempt to prevent China from occupying the coveted seat of a superpower.

As part of the country’s efforts to widen its economic influence in Africa, China held a summit with African leaders in Beijing on Nov. 4. This was the first summit of its kind and could be considered a major step toward broadening China’s trade with African countries. It offered vast opportunities to the businessmen of both sides to exchange ideas and strengthen their trade and economic relations. The forum was first held on a ministerial level in 2000 and underscored the need for negotiations and cooperation between the two sides. The aim was to counter the upheavals in the international arena and to meet the challenges of the economic globalization. The forum will be held in China and any of the African capitals alternately in every three years.

The first ministerial meeting of the forum was held in Beijing in 2000 followed by one in Addis Ababa in 2003. The next meet is to be held in Cairo in 2009 with the participation of the heads of state of the member states.

The topics discussed in the last week’s meeting included the adoption of effective steps to support Africa’s economic development while following a policy of peaceful coexistence between the member countries. They also discussed ways of cooperating in establishing the new international economic order.

Providing support for the increased cooperation between the North and South was another topic of discussion.

A distinguishing feature of the economic and technological assistance offered by China to the African countries is that it does not attach any political strings as the United States used to do. China is also willing to supply manpower assistance to the African countries. China has opened its markets for the African products. About 25 African countries can send its products to Chinese market without customs duty.

This shows that China has countered all the three conditions to be a superpower without resorting to coercion or intimidation. This also shows that China is on the road to achieving the position of the second superpower whether Washington agrees with this or not. It should also be noted that while China has been winning more friends the US has been losing several of its friends.