China and America still remain the world’s superpowers but one would like to become the ultimate standalone super power eventually. This has led to tensions between the two countries. The economy is the key to power and both countries have huge economies that have had their ups and downs. Some things that have a negative impact on economies are expected but others come straight out of the blue and these can be the most disastrous. Even without acts of God affecting world economies, superpowers still need to trade with each other to be successful and this can be awkward during times when the relationship is especially strained – click to find out more.
U.S. China Relations: A Brief History
With two countries operating on the opposite side of the politically spectrum, having a steady relationship was always going to be a challenge. The United States is the bastion of capitalism whilst China is the biggest communist state on the planet. Both have values that are completely at odds with each other and this has caused huge strain in the past.
The People’s Republic Of China was established on the 1st October 1949. Only a year later the Korean War broke out and this conflict involved North Korea, the Soviet Union, South Korea and the United States. It threatened the stability of the world and could have easily turned into a world conflict. In 1955 the world reached another critical point in the shape of the Taiwan Straits Crisis and this confrontation actually saw America threaten China with a nuclear strike.
It wasn’t until the early 1970s when relationships improved and the two superpowers decided to discuss difficult issues that divided them, instead of threatening the very peace of the planet. Unfortunately, the Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989 that was played out in front of the eyes of the world set back relations considerably.
Recent Events
Trade warfare between the two powers has worsened of late and in 2012 the U.S trade deficit with China stood at $295.5 billion. Donald Trump took a strict approach against China and he announced tariffs on Chinese imports worth at least $50 billion. These targeted steel, aluminum, clothing, shoes and electronics, Trump added fresh tariffs in July 2018. However, the future between these two nations remains an uncertain one and this is because of Donald Trump’s recent election defeat. It is not clear what stance the new President of America will take with China.
Gambling and The Superpowers
Gambling shouldn’t even be an issue when you are discussing American/Chinese relations. China and its communist values mean that gambling remains outlawed. However, strangely enough, China is the home to the biggest gambling resort in the world called Macau. It dwarfs Las Vegas but both rely on an exchange between their citizens to keep slots and other forms of gambling profitable. Americans rely on Chinese slots players as much as the Chinese rely on American citizens and gambling brands to remain as regulars in Macau. Only by coexisting can slots remain a major influence in the gambling industry in these parts of the world.
To read more on topics like this, check out the News category
Leave a Reply