China as great power: from red menace to green giant?

China's standing in the world-whether it is, or is seen to be, a great powe r-is a question of signal importance because of what great powers are capab le of doing, what effects their actions and words have on others, and what is expected of them. By most conventional measures, China is at least on th e verge of being a great power. Yet the country also occupies a pivotal glo bal position in terms of its present and expected future impact on the envi ronment. In the final analysis, because greatness is so much a function of a willingness to shoulder responsibility and demonstrate leadership, China' s standing as a great power may well be determined by the country's respons e to the acute environmental stresses it faces. Published by Elsevier Scien ce Ltd on behalf of The Regents of the University of California.