Western dominance will end China’s rise as a superpower
LONDON (Archyde.com) – Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the war in Ukraine showed that at one of the most important historical turning points in centuries, Western dominance was coming to an end, while China, in cooperation with Russia, was rising to superpower status.
Tony Blair said the world is at a historic turning point, comparable to the end of World War II or the collapse of the Soviet Union: but this time, the West clearly does not have the upper hand.
Speaking at a forum in support of an alliance between the US and the European Union in Ditchley Park in the west London suburb of Ditchley Park, Blair said: Towards the end of Western political and economic dominance.”
“The world is going to be at least bipolar, and possibly multipolar,” he said. “The biggest geopolitical change of the century will come from China, not Russia.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands and sparked the worst crisis in Russia’s relations with the West since the Cuban missile crisis that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war in 1962.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said the West was declaring economic war and tried to isolate Russia’s economy with sanctions, while the Kremlin said Russia would turn to major powers such as China and India for help.
Blair said the Ukraine war had shown that the West might not rely on China “to act in what we think is reasonable”. Chinese President Xi Jinping has continued to support Putin and criticized the West for “abusing” sanctions. Putin has established what he calls a “strategic partnership” with China.
China’s economy was smaller than Italy’s in 1979, but following opening to the outside world and market reforms, it has become the world’s second largest economy. China’s economy is expected to surpass that of the United States within 10 years. Artificial intelligence, regenerative medicine and conductive polymers are among the leaders.
Blair, who was prime minister from 1997 to 2007, said: “It is natural and reasonable for China to achieve superpower status. It is not the Soviet Union.” China’s allies may be Russia and Iran.
Blair said the West should not allow China to overtake China militarily. “We should increase defense spending to maintain military superiority.” He added that the United States and its allies “should have sufficient leverage to deal with any eventuality or conflict of any kind in all regions.” Central News Agency (translation)
