[Past Event] China's Expansionism | Ryan Ranch

Course Description:

China is pushing outward everywhere, according to international security analysts. In this timely lecture, we explore China’s 21st century expansionism and its historical background. We'll begin by examining the global infrastructure project that Beijing labels “One Belt One Road,” recalling the famous Silk Road that connected China and Europe through Central Asia.

We'll then look at the provocative actions of the Chinese Navy in the South China Sea. In its history museums and schools, the Chinese government posts what it says are historical maps showing a nine-dash line marking the South China Sea as Chinese territory. With China’s dramatic growth as a global economic powerhouse, Beijing’s traditional view of itself as the Middle Kingdom requires understanding to realistically assess its behavior today.