China's International Space Prison
by Tejal Pendekanti
China plans on building an international space station prison. Yes, you read that correctly, an international space station prison. Of course, this feat is too large for China to take on by itself. It cannot possible fund the entire project by itself! It has decided to team up with following trustworthy, humanitarian countries: North Korea, Iran, Cuba, and Russia. All of these countries can obviously help Xi pay for it; after all, these are some of the world’s superpowers. However, this feat begs the question: how the actual fuck will they actually do it? The amount of money to get the supplies, let alone the building of it? Large. The logistics of transporting the prisoners? Impossible. Is any of it actually possible? No. Which makes sense considering that this was from an Onion article.
Even if this project isn’t real, it still brings up important questions about China’s new partnerships with countries around the world, specifically through the One Belt, One Road Initiative.
Quick recap. The Belt and Road Initiative is Xi’s new pet project. He hopes to construct a network of railroads, energy pipelines, highways, and shipping lanes across Asia, Europe, Africa, and Oceania, with China in the center. Think 21st century Silk Road. Now, for this to actually happen, China wants to send Chinese workers to these foreign countries to construct the network.
On the surface this doesn’t seem concerning; after all, China is working independent to achieve its own goal (being the center of trade, creating jobs, reviving its now leveling off economy). The countries that China operates in (or hopes to) simply have to pay back China (it’s a loan system). These projects require lots of capital, capital that the developing doesn’t have. By providing that capital, China is jumpstarting their economy so that they reap the benefits of this infrastructure. From their booming economy, they should be able to pay back China for their work. Hypothetically, it’s a perfect plan.
In reality, however, this plan is incredibly dangerous. Helping the developing world become more stable is a great humanitarian goal, but humanitarian isn’t what I would associate China with. I don’t think any expert would do so either. Which then raises the question, what is China getting out of this, other than their weak immediate goals? After all, China has to provide that capital, and because it’s a loan system, China could lose billions of dollars.
The Belt and Road Initiative seems very reminiscent of previous foreign policy of the western world: pledge financial assistance to “revive” economies, but in reality, consume that country as part of the sphere of influence. The initiative is more likely a way for China to gain footholds across the world, thus establishing their dominance in the eastern world, the one plundered by the western world. This is a way for China to establish themselves as the world power, especially considering that the United States has decided to step away from the global stage.