China’s behaviour on the global stage is an ‘immense danger’ and could lead to a military confrontation.
This is according to Orville Schell, an analyst at the Center on US-China Relations at the Asia Society, a think tank with offices in New York, Texas, and Hong Kong.
Schell warned that China’s growing aggression, along with the growing power of its military could result in a ‘military accident, even a military clash’.
According to CNBC, Schell said such an incident could result in the ‘end of China’s dream, it could end the global market system, it could be the upending of many, many things as we know it today’.
In recent years China has been working to expand its influence and growing more aggressive. It has placed trade sanctions on Australia and has had border clashes with its neighbour, India. It has also increased its grip on Hong Kong and cracked down on democracy activists in the territory.
Beijing watchers have also warned that an invasion to retake Taiwan by force is growing increasingly likely, and some have said it could happen within the next ten years. Such an event could well be the spark that sets off World War III.
The Chinese Communist Party celebrated its official centenary yesterday and has governed China as a one-party state since 1949.
Image by Robert Waghorn from Pixabay