China, Perceived Power
95working in the framework of SCO. Central Asia could not be left alone
face to face with the United States. In fact, with this alliance, all of the
heartland is controlled, with the advantage of gaining power with an open
way to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. China, in such a short term, could
not have done better work militarily and politically.
An aspect of the current revision of Cline can be appreciated in his last
book. The descending order of Critical Mass changed a bit.
Figure 6-11: Critical Mass in 2000 (points attributed by Cline)^22
Countries Population Territory Critical Mass
China Mainland 100 100 200
United States 100 100 200
Brazil 100 100 200
Russia 100 100 200
India 100 50 150
Indonesia 100 40 140
Japan 100 30 130
Canada 25 100 125
Germany 75 30 105
Australia 0 100 100This last table, produced by Ray Cline, shows that the excessive
population of China is now recognized. As maintained by Italian
economists, population is the wealth of a nation, and as it was sustained by
Friedrich Ratzel, Raum is the basis of the power of any State.
Cline gives a last table that is important to observe, because it
constitutes his thoughts about the inert part of the equation:
Figure 6-12: Perceived Power Weights^23
Countries CM EP MP Total
United States 200 200 100 500
Russia 200 110 100 410
China//Hong Kong 200 80 70 350
Japan 130 130 70 330
Germany 105 105 50 260
Canada 125 95 30 250
Brazil 200 20 20 240(^22) Cline.
(^23) Cline.