Changing Relationships Between Superpowers & Developing Nations (Edexcel A Level Geography)

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Bridgette Barrett

Written by: Bridgette Barrett

Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn

Developing Economic Ties

  • There are increasing economic ties between emerging powers such as China and developing nations

China and African nations

  • Since 2008 China has been Africa's largest trading partner

  • In 2021 China had US$4.99 billion of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Africa

  • One third of China's construction companies business was in Africa in 2015

  • China's increasing demand for resources has driven this increase with most of the investment often being targeted at resource rich nations such as DR Congo, Zambia and Algeria

  • China has made large scale investment in transport and infrastructure to improve efficiency of resource exploitation and exports including:

    • The Nairobi Expressway in Kenya

    • Doraleh Multi-Purpose Port in Djibouti

    • Benguela Railway in Angola

  • Much of this has been part of the China proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which is aimed at improving connectivity

  • The increased economic ties have a range of environmental impacts and challenges as well as opportunities

Environmental Impacts, Benefits and Challenges

Environmental Impacts

Opportunities

Challenges

Deforestation increases to build roads and mines

Increase in mining and drilling can lead to:

  • Spillages of oil and heavy metals

  • Contamination of soil and water

Movement of steel and cement industries to countries such as Zimbabwe increases risk of air and water pollution

Increases trade for African nations which is not based on colonial ties 

Increases jobs and incomes

Transport and infrastructure improvements benefit the communities as well as exports

Increases the GDP 

Investment is focussed on resource rich nations so is unequally distributed

Focus is still on the export of raw materials rather than manufactured products so profits are not high

Imports of cheap Chinese products has undercut local African companies reducing their profits

A decline in China's economy would impact on the African Nations receiving investment

Rising Economic Importance of Asian Countries

  • The status of China and India as emerging superpowers and as global economic powers is clear

    • China is the second largest economy in the world and India is the fifth

    • They are both members of the G20 which works to address issues related to the global economy

    • Together they account for 40% of the world's population 

    • They have increasing global political influence and have made military expansions

  • The emergence of these two countries has led to increasing tensions in the region, between the countries themselves and with other nations

China-India

  • From the 1960s to 1980s there were three border clashes between the countries 

    • Control of areas such as Tawang along the border are disputed

  • Tensions eased from the late 1980s and China became India's largest trading partner

  • 2013, 2018 and 2020 saw escalation of the border conflicts along the Sino-Indian border

  • Both countries maintain a military presence along their common border and are wary of the other:

    • China has concerns about India's increased military presence in the South-China Sea 

    • India has concerns about China's political relationship with Pakistan

Taiwan

  • China claims that Taiwan is a Chinese province

  • Taiwan is controlled by the Republic of China (ROC) the government which was overthrown in mainland China by the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the Chinese Civil War

  • It is a constitutional republic unlike the PRC which is a communist state

  • China has conducted a number of military exercises, both in the air and at sea, in the area around Taiwan as recently as 2022

    • Some of these crossed Taiwan's maritime border and into the Air Defence Zone

  • Taiwan has developed a political relationship with the USA

  • The 2022 Chinese military exercises were a response to a visit to Taiwan by the Speaker of the US House of Representatives

India - Pakistan

  • In 1947 the Indian subcontinent was divided into a Hindu majority India and a Muslim majority Pakistan - known as the Partition of India

  • Over 15 million people were displaced and almost 2 million were killed in the period that followed 

  • There have been tensions between the two nations ever since

  • Conflict broke out over the region of Kashmir and in 1949 the UN backed a division of Kashmir (37% Pakistan and 63% India)

    • Both claim that Kashmir should be theirs in full

  • In 1965 a second conflict broke out 

  • A nuclear arms race started between the two nations in 1974 - they are now the world's sixth and seventh nuclear powers

  • In 1989 there was a rebellion in Indian controlled Kashmir

  • This has been followed by a number of border clashes and incursions in 1999, 2008

Tensions in the Middle East

  • The Middle East is one of the most conflict prone regions in the world

  • Tensions in the region are an ongoing challenge for superpowers and emerging powers, a situation exacerbated by the fact that current estimates state that 80% of the proven oil reserves are in the region

    • With rising demands for energy it is important for superpowers and emerging powers to maintain:

      • Stability within the region as far as possible

      • Relations with the nations in the Middle East

  • There are complex relationships, alliances and historical events which have led to this, including:

    • Religious differences both between and within religious groups

    • The establishment of the state of Israel after WWII

    • The rise of pockets of extremist organisations

    • Kurdish organisations pursuing demands for an independent state

    • Contrasting cultural ideologies

  • Some of the recent events which have further increased tensions in the region include:

    • The Iraqi- Kurdish conflict, tensions have increased over the issues of oil production and territorial control

    • The Arab-Israeli conflict

    • Yemen civil war

    • Iran-Iraq war following the Iraqi invasion of Iran

    • Gulf war following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq

    • The Iraq War following the invasion of Iraq by a USA coalition

    • The Syrian civil war

  • The tensions can be divided into:

    • Cultural - between religious or ethnic groups

    • Political - attempts to increase political influence in the region

    • Economic - conflict over resources

    • Environmental - the impact of conflicts and exploitation of resources on the environment

  • The contrasting cultural ideologies between nations were clear in the run up and during the Qatar 2022 World Cup

  • Many protests were made against the World Cup being held in a country that didn't have the same cultural ideologies as Western countries such as the US and EU nations

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Bridgette Barrett

Author: Bridgette Barrett

Expertise: Geography Lead

After graduating with a degree in Geography, Bridgette completed a PGCE over 25 years ago. She later gained an MA Learning, Technology and Education from the University of Nottingham focussing on online learning. At a time when the study of geography has never been more important, Bridgette is passionate about creating content which supports students in achieving their potential in geography and builds their confidence.

Jenna Quinn

Author: Jenna Quinn

Expertise: Head of New Subjects

Jenna studied at Cardiff University before training to become a science teacher at the University of Bath specialising in Biology (although she loves teaching all three sciences at GCSE level!). Teaching is her passion, and with 10 years experience teaching across a wide range of specifications – from GCSE and A Level Biology in the UK to IGCSE and IB Biology internationally – she knows what is required to pass those Biology exams.