Page 10 - THE ORACLE MAGAZINE October'23 EDITION

Is a war between
China and the
USA inevitable?
for sovereignty, to undeniably being one of the most powerful
countries in the modern world. Known for being the country with
the highest GDP in the world and one of the largest militaries
known to mankind, the USA is not a country China takes lightly.
One of the largest threats for outbreak of war could be the
ongoing dispute regarding Taiwan. Since Taiwan broke off from
the People’s Republic of China in 1949, there has been a dispute
between mainland China and Taiwan regarding Taiwan's
sovereignty. China claims Taiwan as its own, even though Taiwan is
a democratic province whose people protest unification. If China
invades Taiwan, after decades of unsuccessfully trying to woo it
with China’s economic success, a war could occur between China
and Taiwan or with the USA which backs Taiwan by means of the
‘Taiwan Relations Act’
.
However, since China relies on Taiwan for semiconductors, a key
component of most electrical appliances, it would not want to
severely harm Taiwan. It would cripple China’s economy through
disruptions to trade and Taiwan's allies might impose sanctions on
China. In addition, as both the US and China have enormous
nuclear strength, the threat of mutually assured destruction
should act as a major deterrent for war. Additionally, if it becomes
clear to the US that China is building up a buffer zone, the US will
continue to create alliances with China’s neighbours which would
limit China’s power. Nonetheless, China could also pursue ‘salami
tactics’ of gradually building strategic military points, significantly
disabling the US operational capabilities in case of conflict.
For as long as our generation
remembers, China and the USA have
had one of the world’s most
important bilateral relationships.
With both of the nations being
hungry for power and global
dominance, the question of a future
conflict between them no longer
seems trivial. As summarised by the
former US Senator Bob Corker,
“the
21st century will be defined by the
relationship between the United
States and China”
.
From the ‘Century of Humiliation’
during which China was continuously
subjugated by foreign powers, to the
transformation into an economic
superpower, China fought to become
a major player in global politics. With
its increasing military spending and a
historical need for a “buffer zone”
,
one must hope that it will put its
economic needs first.
The USA has also been through a
whirlwind in the past few centuries,
from being colonised by Britain and
struggling
What the future holds for China-US
relations in a time of fight for world
dominance, trade wars and nuclear arms.
09
THE ORACLE MAGAZINE
by Mary Comstock