China, Rise of

The rise of China is one of the most important global changes in recent decades. A country on the sidelines of international affairs for more than 200 years has returned to prominence as a result of significant reforms that began in the late 1970s. It is by far the most important of the five countries commonly referred to as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) on virtually any economic, political, or global measure. However, China’s recent path includes many trade-offs between the greater good and ethical considerations related to individual rights, externalities related to economic growth, and relations with the rest of the world.