The United States of America is facing unprecedented challenges as of today. Once, the mighty power of the World and the guardian of Western liberalism is now losing its grip on all fronts. For many years, this concept was questioned by geo-political experts but it is through a report by the United Nations that USA production capacity has fallen from 40% of the world to only 25% in 2022. The power of a nation as per the Global Power index of Nations, can be gauged from military dominance, economical progress, social balance, cultural superiority, geo-political connections, future prospects and technological advancement. As we shall see, America is falling back on all fronts to different nations and mostly to rising power of the world ‘China’. In every walk of life, American power is diminishing and it can be proven with not just concepts, theories and ideas but with factual numbers. And on the other hand, the rise of China as the new super power is a fact that cannot be denied. And this is the time for not just Pakistan but many other countries of the world to re-align their foreign policies to adapt for maximum progress and well-being in future.
The most paramount dominance of America has been its military. The defense budget of Washington overshadows the defense budget of all nations combined. But the previous few years have proved that these numbers don’t tell the complete story. The disaster in Afghanistan and Iraq are clear proof that War is not just number of Dollars spent, but it has to do with strategy, foreign policy, political power and methods of continuity and all these have proved American Government to be a failure. It is estimate that the American Government lost around 4.4 Trillion Dollars in the failed campaign in Iraq and Afghanistan. Further, it degraded the image on the American army which lost to Taliban with minimal weaponry, zero air power and negligible tanks. The American army left Kabul and deserted their allies who had worked with them for over 15 years. On the other hand, the Chinese army has shown restraint and have yielded results whenever they have gone into battle. The skirmish with the Indian army is a clear illustration. The Chinese army is known for its ferocity and strategic approach. The skirmish with the Indian army achieved its objectives with heavy losses to the Indian army without even involving the Chinese air-force. On the other hand, the American army has proved to be expensive, ineffective and has incurred losses in all wars, from Vietnam to Iraq.
On the economic front, the American hegemony has been broken. The class and economic divide is clear in America. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The American economy is highly in debt to other nations and especially to China. Many American companies have outsourced their productions to other emerging nations in Asia. American companies are finding fertile grounds in UAE, Saudi Arabia, China and even Brazil as their offices for operations. In the last week, Silicon Valley Bank incident is a fresh illustration of oncoming meltdown of the American financial system. Biden is being seen as a President with weak economic reform policy and their initiatives are a becoming a burden on the economy. On the other hand, America remains the only nation with zero Healthcare and social divide become clearer every day. All this while the Government has resorted to Deficit Spending and credit is the name of the game in the American market. The American economy is highly volatile and based on high credit risks, with only the Dollar printing at its back to rescue the economy.
In Foreign Policy, the American Government has been exposed in the recent crises. The Ukraine War has shown that although NATO has the US army at its back, but it is not able to engage a power like Russia. On the other hand, whenever a nuclear-powered nation is involved, the Americans are powerless. The only outcome is the sale of American weapons to be used in the War. The Ukraine crisis has exposed Europe to deteriorating circumstances. Gas and fuel prices have shot up and even United Kingdom is under severe economic pressure. The Americans are unable to resolve the war in Ukraine and the heavy movement of refugees continues into Europe, further pressurizing their economies.
On the other hand, China is staying clear of military conflicts. It is said that military conflicts often mask a declining nation. For example, Germany actively engaged in wars and attacked Russia before its final breakdown in the Second World War. A declining Soviet Union resorted to attacking Afghanistan just before it was about to be discarded and gave rise to the present Russia. Similarly, the American wars are a sign of decline. A message that a superpower is unable to sustain itself, its politics and its influence in the world as a leader. China is improving by the strategy of incremental growth. It is now a challenger to the United States in every way possible. Its technology is becoming at par with the best. Its population is also beyond any other nation and its military footprint can be seen in its areas of interest. And most of all, it is a nation that is promoting trade, connectivity and mutual growth.
While the United States has been fanning hatred and violence in Middle East for decades by siding with Saudi oil and running a campaign against Iran, China has managed to cement their divide. This altogether changes the landscape of Asian politics and China’s role in it. It is a sign of true power. And now, Muhammad bin Salman of Saudi has invited the Iranian President to Saudi Arabia. A true achievement of Chinese power in the region. Similarly, Iran and Pakistan have been brought into the fold of CPEC and OBOR. Gwadar and Chabahar ports are to become the most vital ports of China’s trade plan. There is enormous potential in this connectivity between Iran and Pakistan and the Middle East in the wake of peace in the region. A ceasefire in Yemen came just days after Iran and Saudi talks. Asian countries are on the rise and China is leading the way. Europe and the Western countries are on the decline. It is a time for world leaders to think again, and re-align their national goals. The past decades have been dominated by America and its incessant wars. But now, there is a dynamic change. Relationships between countries are based on benefits, but perhaps now is the time when progress and mutual gains will be given more importance than merely military might and dominance through show of force. China is the new superpower rising on the scene and it is having profound impact on every region of the entire world.
(The writer is Chairman of Jinnah Rafi Foundation)