【明報專訊】To survive and develop, a sovereign country must rely on its power, which depends on a number of elements. They include its political, economic, technological and cultural strength as well as its education, defence, diplomatic relations, resources, population and society. These elements are inter-related. A country's diplomatic influence, for example, has everything to do with its economic strength and military might. Its overall national strength is composed of its "hard power", which can be quantified, and its "soft power", which is intangible.

Economic aspect

A country's economic power is an important indicator of its strength. It has the most direct bearing on living standards, and also has everything to do with its military, technological and educational development, agricultural and industrial productivity, foreign trade and infrastructural development. The United States is the biggest economy in the world. The US dollar is a major medium of exchange in international trade, as bills for petroleum and many other commodities are settled in US dollars.

Say in international matters

China has long been stressing that it is a developing country. However, since it began to pursue its "reform and opening-up" policy in 1978, China has made huge progress in such areas as its military, economy, defence and technology. It is now the second largest economy in the world. Accompanying this is its greater say in international politics and diplomacy. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which was founded in 2015 under the auspices of China, has 57 founding countries across five continents. This evidences China's overall national strength and power to initiate change.

Cultural aspect

A country's cultural outputs are a manifestation of its soft power. A culture-exporting country can, with its immense influence, change other regions' cultural attributes and values. A case in point is the recent "Korean cultural invasion", which has proved successful not only in presenting Korea as a fashionable, energetic country, but also in altering people's taste in various places as well as entertainment companies' production styles.

Astronautical technology

The level of astronautical technology is an integral component of a country's overall national strength, since astronautical technology and ballistic missile technology are two sides of the same coin. While the US and Russia are long-time leaders in the field, recent years have seen astronautical projects launched by countries like China, India and Brazil. A new round of arms race in space is under way.

Social development in China

China's social development has not been pursued in a balanced manner. This has resulted in gross wealth inequality. Rapid development in recent years has led to the problem of "overdrawing" natural resources. China, whose political and legal systems have not moved with the times, has often been criticised for suppressing human rights, free speech and the freedom of religious belief. This has not only damaged its international image but also hindered it from further enhancing its influence.