The 21st century belongs to China. As the societies of Europe and the United States plateau, developing countries in Asia and South America are racing forward at an unprecedented pace—with China clearly in the lead. This year, China surpassed Japan as the world's second biggest economy. And according to a now-infamous Goldman Sachs report, China could overtake the United States as the world's largest economy as early as 2027, a position America has occupied for well over a century.
So what will happen when China rules the world? To find out, Big Think spoke to some of the leading policymakers, economists, and experts on China to hear their thoughts. Over the next five days, we will present their often counter-intuitive views in our new special series, When China Rules the World. Each day we will unveil two new ideas, as well as some additional resources that give a greater understanding of China's role in the 21st century.
From former U.S. President Jimmy Carter to China's most popular television host Yang Lan, everyone in the series seems to agree with financier Steven Rattner that China is "the next great future growth story of the world." Throughout this week, When China Rules the World will explore the following questions: Will Beijing be the next Hollywood? Will China become the world's largest Christian nation? Will Africa become a Chinese colony? Will China rule the seas? In addition, Elizabeth Economy, Senior Fellow and Director for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, will offer up five figures who are shaping the future of China; economist Nouriel Roubini will explain why the Chinese yuan will become the global reserve currency; and Nobel laureate Michael Spence will explain why China will likely become a more democratic country.