Sinophobia, Anyone?

Soo-Ryum Yang
Politics

The upcoming Olympics in Beijing and its unending controversy have finally unfurled what was slowly developing within global consciousness: sinophobia. This mostly rational and sometimes irrational fear of China has surpassed Anti-Americanism abroad, which has been increasingly popular in Europe and the Middle East. As Anti-Americanism is more about Bush, Anti-Chinese sentiment is also more about human rights abuses- it is about their successes and failures as an emerging global superpower.

These are some potential factors associated with the rise in sinophobia:
(1) China's steady economic growth during this global recession could trigger a noxious combination of suspicion and envy.
(2) The increasingly powerful Chinese military should worry both neo-cons and hippies alike.
(3) Unlike the Bush Administration, the Chinese government at least believes in global warming, but does not want to do anything about it. Their rationale: the West dumped all the soot in the sky during the industrialization; it is only fair for China to do the same.
(4) Irrefutable evidence that China is directly related with the violence in Darfur.
(5) Hillary, Dalai Lama and Hollywood. They really don't like China, and they are sure powerful.
(6) American and European parents think when something is made in China, it has been dipped in lead, mercury and dark matter.
(6) The C-word. Yes, they are communists even though China is brooding with child laborers, wealthy socialites, poor migrants, liberal bloggers, conservative government, American tourists, etc. One thing for sure: If Mao were alive, he would not be pleased to see his country run by CEO's and capitalistic savagery.

Yes, I will join the unanimous chorus of commentators around the world and declare that China will be the next hegemonic superpower. However, if the world starts hating China now, what will happen when it actually becomes the sole, dominant global authority? I guess we will just have to wait 20 more years for that answer.