QUESTION 10
GS2
10 marks
“The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of a China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union.” Explain.
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Explain why China is seen as a greater threat to US primacy than the Soviet Union was.
ExplainMake clear how and why it happens: causes, process, and an example for each point.
Demand-wise check
- 1Economic: China is integrated with the US and world economy (USSR was not); second-largest economy, manufacturing hub≈30 words
- 2Technology: 5G, AI, semiconductors race; supply chain dependence≈30 words
- 3Military and strategic: navy size, South China Sea, BRI reach≈30 words
- 4Ideological influence: authoritarian development model; limits of China (demography, debt)≈30 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
ContextComparison table (economy, tech, military, influence)Limits of the claimIndia's interestConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Describing US–China tensions without comparing with the USSR
- No balancing view
Draw this
- Comparison table: USSR vs China on key dimensions
Value addition
- DataThe Soviet economy peaked at roughly 40% of US GDP; China's is about 65–70% at market rates and larger in PPP terms.IMF World Economic Outlook
- FactChina's navy is the largest in the world by number of ships (over 370), per the US Department of Defense.US DoD China Military Power Report
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.