The Political Geography of Emerging China

China views itself as being superior to the rest of the world both politically and economically. While the economic growth of the country has climbed rapidly toward the top of the list of world economies, its political relationship has not always followed suit. China's ethnocentrism has much to do with how the country is perceived economically by other countries. There were attempts to look beyond its own land for economic opportunities as early as the 8th century A.D., but by the late Ming times these maritime expeditions were halted because of high costs of maintaining the fleet and political instability. The results were a return to inward growth, population growth and stagnating per capita output.