IS CHINA A SUPERPOWER??

At the moment, probably not. I'm no expert on this issue (or any other). But I do know that the Chinese take a very long view of such things (a thousand year view). I'm sure they believe that at some time in the future, they will be the world's major superpower, and they probably will.

You have four questions there

1. What is a "super-power"? I don't believe that there is a single definition that would agreed to by all. It is a term of art, rather than science. Power, in a political sense, is relative. Political power might be the degree to which a group (Political party, nation, etc.) is able to inspire and mobilize loyalty and action. Small populations and organizations tend to have less "power" than large populations with similar ability to inspire/mobilize the same proportion of its members. For example, the Chinese Communist Party is a relatively small percentage of the total Chinese population, yet it has been able to maintain control of the whole country for a very long time because of its Party discipline, loyalty and ability to mobilize its political assets as needed. The CCP is a very powerful organization, though the degree to which it inspires and mobilizes the total population is less certain.

"Power" held by coersion is not typically effective over long periods. Those who are forced to behave against their will, tend not to be as reliable as those who voluntarilly commit themselves to the organization/groups goals. Sabotage, lack of ititiative, and dedication has always been a problem for despots. As China has "loosened" its hold over parts of the economy, and permitted indivituals to act for their own benefit, great strides have been made in improving overall productivity. The Party leadership is, however, riding a tiger. If they permit too much individualism, unrest and rebellion may follow and topple the Party structure. This a a weakness at the core of the polity, and it constrains the power potential of the whole country.

Lets take another example at the other extreme. In the mythical country of Demos there is a pure and total democracy. Every decision and policy is only adopted after lively debate and a plebicite of the entire population. Everyone is almost totally free to think, say, or do anything they please. Is Demos likely to have much "power", either internally or in the wider theater of world politics? In this case, it doesn't matter whether the population of Demos is large, or small, it will be eternally at war with itself over every concievable question. Nothing much will ever be done, because it is so difficult to persuade the People of Demos to act together. Next door to Demos, is a very small country that has developed over time such a well-integrated society that virtually everyone agrees on virtually every possible issue. In Borgania, people have some pretty strange notions and are completely out of step with what most of the rest of the world regards as politically correct. Borgania, may be a terrible place, but it probably can exercise "power" quite out of proportion to its size within its borders, and in its region. If either Demos, or Borgania, acquire a technological, and/or military advantage over other nations, will they have acquired "power" regardless of their political weakness?

Back in the real world, China has the largest population in the world and that is unlikely to change. Chinese culture tends to favor community action, and the submission of individual desires for the good of the family and community. The Communist government has assembled and maintains a very large military estagblishment. The military is large, but it has some very considerable constraints. There is no effective blue-water navy, that is a major weakness on planet Earth. The Air Force is decidedly poor in equipment, training and capablility, and lacks reach with manned aircraft. Missile technology is further advanced, and China can reach any spot on the globe with a limited number of missiles. Chinese missiles probably are not MIRV capable at this time, but that could easily change. Chinese nuclear warheads are probably very nearly as good as the best the old Soviet Union had in its inventory toward the end of the Cold War. Chinese nuclear weapons have been tested and are reliable, even if the numbers are still quite small. China's primary military strength is in its infantry, but the Army has mobility problems, lacks top-quality armor, and is not very sophisticated in its doctrine. China has shown little interest in using its military to threaten others, but again that could change quickly.

China's interests at the moment seem to be focused mostly on the region, and on improving its economy. That's good for us all. We can only hope that China and Taiwan will gradually come to an understanding that doesn't involve shooting. Tibet is probably lost forever ... sorry about that, Your Holiness. We need to also be concerned that a general famine will strike China, or that a particularily nasty disease with a high mortality rate will appear in southern China. Floods and civil unrest that result in the chaos might also be a bad thing for the rest of the world. What happens in China holds great significancy for the rest of humanity.

2. Does China fit the definition of a "super power"? China's potential for impacting the lives of people all around the globe, probably would qualify them to be labled a "super power". China is one of the leading members of the United Nations.

3. Will China ever be a "super power"? See No. 2 above.

4. Is Ameica losing its grip? Don't make me laugh, it hurts my sides