If and when China becomes a superpower, can the U.S. and China both be superpowers living peacefully?

Question

Remember, China is not yet a superpower since their military is inferior to the U.S.'s. They cannot project their power beyond it's region.

@ SimAlex
Yes, China has the largest army in the world. But they don't have to means or the ability to fight a major war halfway across the globe. I mean, what are they gonna do...Walk to the U.S.?

@ Trigga, the U.S. and U.S.S.R. did NOT live together peacefully. In fact they had a 50 year long war! the Cold War.

benzhowz, If I knew the answer, would I ask this question? and why can the U.S. not stand up to China in war? The U.S. has way more nukes, more advance technology and training. China's only got numbers, and that can be taken care of by several well-dropped bombs.

Answer 1

I beg to differ with you about China. She's a superpower NOW, both militarily and economically. She may not yet have what would be considered a "blue water" Navy, but her Army is the largest one on Earth.

Do I think we can peacefully coexist? Well, ...it will depend greatly upon whether China decides to expand the communist sphere of influence and whether the United States decides to stand our ground with them or not. The big difference between the US and China and the US and the USSR is, we never had much trade with the USSR. China enjoys "most favored nation" status as far as trade is concerned. It's always better when two peoples are talking and have things in common. Yes, ...I hope so. I like and respect the Chinese.

Answer 2

I don't know who's the idiot that told you that China can't build a missile and deliver nuclear bombs outside it's own country? Chinese aren't that dumb and quite academic. The old addage that Chinese gets the best grades in school isn't too far off the mark. If you don't believe that China can send missiles outside the United States, look up whether China can send satellites to outer space. Sending a missile or a person into space is much harder than sending a missile to Mexico. With nuclear weapons, you don't even have to be that accurate to kill us. The radiation carried by the wind will do a lot of the work for them.

While its obvious that China and the U.S. will not always see eye-to-eye, it isn't likely that either countries will have any formal hostilities. Both countries have both Biological weapons and Nuclear weapons that can kill everything alive. I don't think the U.S. have much to worry about. Talks about military confrontation are really just hype.

Answer 3

I live in China, speak Chinese and have an MA in Chinese history.
The answer is: yes. Both countries economies are so interdependent, that a war between the two would be crippling for both economies. Neither country is willing to risk this - even if their ideologies are different. China wants sustainable development, while the USA needs China as a global ally.

Answer 4

Not only was your question totally wrong, your follow up show a total lack of historical research. I suggest you go back to school(4th grade first) and learn current world affairs of the 1950's. China is the only country in the world that America will not, nor could not stand up against in a nuclear, ground, air, or sea confrontation. I strongly suggest you do more research before you ever ask another question like this again.

Answer 5

you don't think china can project power beyond it's region? i bet a few million troops might disagree with you. their gear might be old-ish, but mass still counts.

anyway, i do think china and the u.s. can get along just fine, primarily because of money, money and money.

Answer 6

Not really, the US normally tries to destroy the competition. It`s got f*ck all to do with war, it`s about commerce. The US can stand people getting murdered, but it won`t tolerate people messing with their ability to make money.

Answer 7

The US is super broke! We'll be lucky if China isn't up there without us.
And, yes....anything's possible.

Answer 8

USSR and USA pulled it off.......Of course they are bankrupt now