The Lifelong Learner         by Stanley Kubasek | About Me |

Is Chinese Empire coming? Here's what a prominent demographer had to say about it when asked about it by Guy Kawasaki. It's an interesting interview. (I agree with the answer, btw.)

Guy Kawasaki: The British Empire, the American Empire... is the day of the Chinese empire coming?

Joseph Chamie, Demographer: It's possible that the Chinese Empire is coming some time in the future, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Although China is growing economically at a very fast clip, it has a good way to go before it's close to being anything like today's American Empire, let alone the former British Empire.
Moreover, internally China faces many demographic, social, and political challenges ahead. For example, the ageing of its population means that considerable state resources will soon need to be diverted to pay for the needs of the elderly, i.e., social security, health care, etc.

Also, rapid urbanization and economic growth is leading to the stratification of the population, especially in concentrated urban areas with few wealthy at the top and many poor at the bottom. These challenges may very well negatively impact the country's future economic growth and overall stability. Nevertheless, given its population size and increasing economic might, it's clear that China's influence globally will likely increase during the 21st century.

Reference
Ten Questions with Joseph Chamie, Demographer, Guy Kawasaki