Pro- I believe the main reason the united states should be concerned about China is that as a global superpower they are a threat to democracy which is something that the United States is founded on. We need to watch out for China because of the China Dream and what it means. Part of the goal of China is to exercise a soft power that will move toward world harmony. While everyone wants world harmony, this means that as China grows as an economic power, it will have more control over global affairs especially economically and it may cause other countries to align with China as America’s soft power declines. Those who do not fit into this “harmonious world” will be considered the opposition. As China shifts toward a more authoritarian government it will limit information and continue to suppress opposition. In modern times we see this with Hong Kong’s protests against Beijing and how hard the Chinese government is working to take away its democracy. Fundamentals of democracy include things like freedom of speech education in order to allow people to come to their own beliefs. These are things that are being limited and restricted in Hong Kong which makes it much harder for people to become informed. In the United States news stories all have spins on it, but imagine to what extent the information is blurred in an authoritarian world. Democracy has no place in an authoritarian world.
Thinking about the US Image and America's Values