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Why isn't China a G8 member?
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
China now has the sixth largest GDP in the world. Yet Russia, a state that has never been an economic power, is a member of the organisation.
The G5 (as it was originally founded) was an economic 'club'. If the current G8 is in existence to discuss economic issues, then China must attain membership and not tinpot countries like Russia.
The G5 (as it was originally founded) was an economic 'club'. If the current G8 is in existence to discuss economic issues, then China must attain membership and not tinpot countries like Russia.
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Break it down in to primary/secondary and tertiary industries as a typical classification of development, and then you will find that China is still classed as a "developing" country, and therefore not eligible for G8.
Other indicators for development can be used other than raw GDP data; it hides huge social inequalities, and is only a crude indicatory factor. Look, for example, at Saudi Arabia. Developed?
Yet China is certainly a potential economic superpower (who knows maybe one day it will rival the US
I agree with your first point in part, but you have to be completely ignorant if you don't think that having a 1.3bn population is going to maybe help your GDP a little.
I think you've described your answer within your post. China is a potential economic superpower. It's not there yet. It's still growing, still developing. (albeit at the fastest economic growth rate seen, ever) Hence, it's not quite ready for G8 yet.
Furthermore, it also has some odd rules of trade. Correct me if I'm wrong, but is China a WTO member? I'm not sure it is. And I think that Chinese companies have acquired a lot of technology and industry, e.g. computer chip design, implementation technology illicitly. Therefore, allowing them in to G8 would be politically unwise; businesses who have been "ripped off" would lobby their governments quite strongly against this.
There are other considerations too. China is a relatively isolationist coutry still; they don't like opening up their markets in the Western way. Corrupting influence of capitalism, perhaps? Either way, they are not committed to politically or economically integrate within the wider community. Until they do, why should they play a role in leading and shaping that community?
Another point to consider. Who are the five permanent UN security council members? UK, US, France, China and Russia. Who controls that; the US, UK and France help to moderate it. Chinese and Russian interests are not quite so crucial. Who of those states has the largest army/military power? China.......