"Hegemons" like China aren't made, they're cornered

■"China Widens Economic Role in Latin America, by Larry Rohter, New York Times, 20 November 2004, pulled off NYT web.

■"Tension rises as China scours the globe for energy, by David Spencer, Daily Telegraph, 21 November 2004, pulled off DT web.

■"China Eases Rules on Joint TV Ventures, by Reuters, New York Times, 19 November 2004, pulled off NYT web.

China's moving into Latin America big time in search of raw materials, throwing around investments and aid like a . . . well . .. rather developed state. We may ignore our "backyard," but China cannot. Its growth is simply too explosive and too long-term. We can turn that "scouring the globe" phenomenon into a threat ("China's infiltrating the Western hemisphere!"), but don't expect Latin America to agree with the diagnosis.

Instead, expect other New Core pillars like Brazil to speak of strategic alliances. In fact, expect, China to be offered strategic alliances all over the dial. We can sit back and view all this with alarm, or we can get our bid in early. Ask yourself which course seems like a more strategic call?

The more we delay, the more China will move in an inefficient, seemingly "threatening" manner to secure oil around the world. Why? They fear a Taiwanese move toward independence they cannot ignore, and that the upshot of that act will be an attempt by the US to punish China militarily through cutting off its access to oil, in a truly cutting-off-our-noses-to-spite-our-face globalization logic.

China's trying hard to open up to the outside world, witness the moves on such touchy areas as mass media. But it's not going to open up to that outside world strictly according to our rules and our rules alone. It's going to create its own rules along the way, which will join and shape the larger Core rule set on globalization. We can be part of that process, or simply fear it. But it will happen regardless of our stance.