US diplomat: China's rapid rise a problem
Selvam ArjunanPublished: Jun 1, 2006 2:29 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
China's rapid economic growth over the past 25 years has been stunning. But this has now become a problem for the communist-ruled nation, said an US diplomat.
The rapid economic progress is posing a problem not only to that nation itself, but others as well.
China's rapid economic growth over the past 25 years has been stunning. But this has now become a problem for the communist-ruled nation, said an US diplomat.
"(For) three or four years, they tried to slow down the economic rate by at least two percent, to make it equal with upcoming countries, but failed. It didn't happen," said ambassador J Stapleton Roy.
The former assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research was speaking at an US embassy forum titled 'Emerging China and its Implications for the US and the Region' in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
According to Roy, China is now finding it difficult to control its economy.
"The Chinese government cannot control the economy, so it's losing control of a most important sector," he said.
When commenting on the implications of China's emergence as an economic superpower, he said the rapid rise troubles other nations, including the US.
"I'm sure either Asia or Asean will also be affected by China's growth, but they are not prepared to ask hard questions to China," he added.
Military power
As for China's increasing military power, he said the country's military budget last year was the highest. However, Roy believes that the real military spending would be twice as more than what is officially reported.
"If you ask me whether if there is a real need for China to spend big on it's military, I would say no. Because China has no visible enemies like the US has.
"And I can tell you that European countries such as Germany, France, Italy and even Britain only use half of the (amount) China has spent on its military," he said.
Roy said after witnessing what the modern military of the US had achieved in Iraq, China also wants to develop its military. He stressed that Asian countries must be aware of this.
On political matters, he said ties between China and the West are affected by the former's decision to carry out research and exploration works in countries such as Sudan - which the West avoids due to their political ideology - for oil and energy.
He said although China's economic progress has been rapid, development remains unbalanced between rural and urban areas.
"(For) three or four years, they tried to slow down the economic rate by at least two percent, to make it equal with upcoming countries, but failed. It didn't happen," said ambassador J Stapleton Roy.
The former assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research was speaking at an US embassy forum titled 'Emerging China and its Implications for the US and the Region' in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
According to Roy, China is now finding it difficult to control its economy.
"The Chinese government cannot control the economy, so it's losing control of a most important sector," he said.
When commenting on the implications of China's emergence as an economic superpower, he said the rapid rise troubles other nations, including the US.
"I'm sure either Asia or Asean will also be affected by China's growth, but they are not prepared to ask hard questions to China," he added.
Military power
As for China's increasing military power, he said the country's military budget last year was the highest. However, Roy believes that the real military spending would be twice as more than what is officially reported.
"If you ask me whether if there is a real need for China to spend big on it's military, I would say no. Because China has no visible enemies like the US has.
"And I can tell you that European countries such as Germany, France, Italy and even Britain only use half of the (amount) China has spent on its military," he said.
Roy said after witnessing what the modern military of the US had achieved in Iraq, China also wants to develop its military. He stressed that Asian countries must be aware of this.
On political matters, he said ties between China and the West are affected by the former's decision to carry out research and exploration works in countries such as Sudan - which the West avoids due to their political ideology - for oil and energy.
He said although China's economic progress has been rapid, development remains unbalanced between rural and urban areas.
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