China

Earlier in the week, I watched a programme called Clash of the Superpowers: America v China.
I was aware of China's terrible human rights record, but very little else. I learned quite a bit.
Both episodes are available on BBC iplayer.

What comes next after financial power: political power.
China hasn’t invested ( loaned) squillions in Africa out of the kindness of their hearts 😡

Absolutely petra.

Those countries are now in debt to China.

Yes but what could that lead to? What would/could they actually do that we should be afraid of?
Unfortunately, lots of countries have poor human rights policies

Aveline

Yes but what could that lead to? What would/could they actually do that we should be afraid of?
Unfortunately, lots of countries have poor human rights policies

Many African countries have large reserves of key industrial minerals, Uranium, Lithium etc etc. Given that many of these rareearths are just that - rare -. I fChina has control of their production and sale, she has a whip hand over other manufacturing countries, including the US.

Similarly, if China has built lots of railways, power stations water systems etc using their technology. If a country tries to break free of them and use other suppliers, they will just find that they can no longer get hold of spare parts that all the electronic communication systems will stop working etc etc.

When the Chinese build key communications and power plants, they do not train up local people to manage and run them. All the management of construction and installation is Chinese. This keeps them in the country and able to influence governments, not to mention the inevitable espionage.

China moves into other countries by stealth not brute force. They, like the other superpowers want to take over.

AGAA4

China moves into other countries by stealth not brute force. They, like the other superpowers want to take over.

And eventually they will do it by sheer weight of numbers.

Aveline

Yes but what could that lead to? What would/could they actually do that we should be afraid of?
Unfortunately, lots of countries have poor human rights policies

Look at how the have muscled into North Macedonia on a huge scale.
Macedonia is a member of NATO. North Macedonia wants to join the eu. Something that could be very useful for China.

cepa.org/comprehensive-reports/chinese-influence-in-north-macedonia/
Then there are the ports that they either own or hold the biggest stake. They are the major shareholder in the port of Piraeus.

All that makes them seem more like efficient businessmen than deadly threats.

A friend who has quite a high powered job is not allowed to buy a Chinese car because of their “listening” capability.

Is it a good idea to allow a foreign state to have control over vital infrastructure?

China is very powerful and also very subtle. It has a lot of growing influence in the pacific region as well as in Australia but they gain power without shouting about it or deliberately provoking people - just buying businesses and investment. Their human rights record is not the best but then , who’s is ?

Aveline

All that makes them seem more like efficient businessmen than deadly threats.

Aveline
I’m sure you’re aware that wealthy businessmen donate to political parties. I like to think that most are ultruistic, but that’s not always the case.
Sooner or later these donors want something back for these donations. That will come in decisions made in parliament where it would benefit their businesses.

blogs.lse.ac.uk/inequalities/2024/11/13/buying-influence-donations-and-corruption-in-british-politics/
I know this article relates to British politics but it could just as well relate to China.
Let’s suppose that China offered loans to build our new schools. There isn’t a snowball in hells chance that they wouldn’t have some say in the curriculum.
Sounds extreme? It’s happening in North Macedonia.

Aveline
Chinese students controlling the curriculum in our universities.

www.jurist.org/news/2025/08/report-reveals-chinese-influence-on-uk-schools-and-students/

What are these 'influences' saying though? I'm honestly wondering what China's main goal might be? World domination? Would that be worse than the status quo which isn't great?

AGAA4

China moves into other countries by stealth not brute force. They, like the other superpowers want to take over.

Wholeheartedly agree. We live in a prosperous university city. The Chinese have moved here in great numbers. Our area is full of expensive £1m houses and whenever one goes up for sale the Chinese pay cash and then employ Chinese builders to remodel.

Aveline

What are these 'influences' saying though? I'm honestly wondering what China's main goal might be? World domination? Would that be worse than the status quo which isn't great?

You cannot be serious

Perhaps read this:

Chinese state threat activities in the UK

researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-10417/CBP-10417.pdf

I still remember our geography teacher (Mrs Jarret!) saying very emphatically in the mid 60s (still the days of Mao), ‘China is - public - enemy - number - one!’

I dare say that now she’d include Putin’s Russia - they could share that ‘honour’.

petra

What comes next after financial power: political power.
China hasn’t invested ( loaned) squillions in Africa out of the kindness of their hearts 😡

Yes. but may China's investment in underdeveloped nations be with the aim of international peace? Affluent nations are not always imperialist. Anyone can see that international peace benefits everyone. China's period of territorial expansion is perhaps over now.

China is not only exploiting resources it’s taking over commerce, local businesses are being taken over by Chinese businesses selling Chinese goods at prices the local cannot compete.

Not just developing countries the UK, US and EU are affected today, many goods and commodities are available direct from China at very low prices

Yes. but may China's investment in underdeveloped nations be with the aim of international peace? Affluent nations are not always imperialist. Anyone can see that international peace benefits everyone. China's period of territorial expansion is perhaps over now
Perhaps is a little word with a BIG meaning.
World peace?
Ha!
Economic domination more like.
And remember whose labs the Coronavirus “escaped” from.
A dress rehearsal ?

Caleo

petra

What comes next after financial power: political power.
China hasn’t invested ( loaned) squillions in Africa out of the kindness of their hearts 😡

Yes. but may China's investment in underdeveloped nations be with the aim of international peace? Affluent nations are not always imperialist. Anyone can see that international peace benefits everyone. China's period of territorial expansion is perhaps over now.

international peace
Is that why they are suppling Russia with weaponry 🤷‍♀️