Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Follow Carnegie
- Search
- Global Resources
Global Centers
Languages
Twin Regimes: One is a cold, calculating Russian, the other a gregarious and irreverant Latin, yet they rule as though separated at birth. How come?
Despite its incredible pace of change, China continues to carry echoes of its past. And yet, the difficulty of drawing any direct links between its past and present is demonstrated by the fact that any topic can shift in perspective depending on where you enter China’s vast chronology.
Beijing seeks to reassure the world that it is a gentle giant. This strategy of emphasizing peaceful ascendancy will likely satisfy Chinese interests until it becomes a true rival of the United States. Washington should recognize that if it mishandles its relations with its current or prospective partners, it might be faced with an absence of allies precisely when it needs them most.
Governments in Asia, Latin America, and Central and Eastern Europe watch the Chinese export machine and worry about keeping their manufacturing jobs at home. The anxiety is understandable, but a closer look suggests that China's success will help, not hurt, most developing countries.
For all its success, China is still not living up to its potential. Given China's ample opportunities and investment, it should have raised its living standards even faster than it did. Nevertheless, China's economic boom could well be in its middle, not its end.
Not all observers of Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" are pleased. Instead of democracy's advance, some see a U.S.-orchestrated conspiracy to undermine Ukrainian sovereignty, weaken Russia's sphere of influence, and expand Washington's imperial reach. However, others point to the combination of a weak, divided, and corrupt regime and a united, mobilized, and highly motivated opposition.
Whoever wins the Ukrainian election, Russian president Vladimir Putin is a clear loser. Putin has suffered a serious setback because of the way he tried to deal with his most important neighbor. Putin's behavior has weakened Russia's influence in strategic Ukraine and damaged the Russian president's reputation in the West.
Ukraine poses a challenge for the West, for Russia and for the entire post-Soviet zone. Depending on events, a group of transitional societies - Russia among them - will either be pushed toward new transformations or will try to seal themselves up in their current condition. So, what are the challenges?
Americans are generally skeptical of or indifferent to the EU. They shouldn't be. The U.S. has an important interest in the direction the EU takes in coming years.
