Published May 13th, 2006 by Future Atlas
Rising powers in new roles
Two recent stories suggest that the rising powers of the world will find themselves with new roles and interests:
- Brazil and Bolivia, traditionally friendly and both led by leftists, got in a spat over Bolivian energy nationalism, which threatens Brazilian investments.
- Militants in Nigeria’s Niger Delta warned that they would target Chinese working to extract oil in their region.
Brazil and China thus find themselves cast in unfamiliar roles: status quo powers with an stake in the established system working smoothly, and accused bullies.
As their interests continue to diversify and globalize, Brazil, China, and other rising powers will find their traditional outlooks challenged. Simple verities like South-South solidarity and noninterference will no longer suffice, and new perspectives on many issues — trade rules and intellectual property are only the beginning — will be required.