China's rise to superpower status has caused concern among many Westerners. They fear that China's sustained growth could damage their livelihoods and economic status. Others, however, see this as an opportunity to exploit new markets and promote global unity. This is an increasingly relevant debate as many have predicted that China's growth will continue at a steady pace in both the short and medium term. This paper will examine the reality of the potential threats and the scope of the opportunities. What constitutes a threat and an opportunity depends entirely on perspective, so this paper will take the perspective of the United States for reasons of the size and influence it has over the rest of the Western world. One of the biggest issues concerning the Western world with the rise of China is the economic effect on employment. Many American companies fear the job losses created by cheap Chinese imports. The theory is that China's seemingly endless supply of cheap goods and lack of regulation allow them to produce goods at much lower costs than American companies, causing a shift in employment eastward. China's growth is largely centered on the growth of the manufacturing sector, forcing American producers to face downward wage pressures and job reallocations (Eichengreen, 2011). They fear demand for domestic goods will decline and shift to cheap imports that could cost them their jobs. With nearly 12 million jobs at stake, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. manufacturing sector is no small problem. Manufacturing jobs have taken a hit recently: nearly 3 million jobs were lost in 2003, and many of the losses have been attributed to the rise of the East. The perception of this, however, is probably much greater than the actual threat. ...... half of the sheet ...... gen. 2011, sec. B: 1. Print.Lipton, Eric S. and David Barboza. “As more toys are recalled, the trail ends in China.” New York Times June 19, 2007. Print.Elwell, Craig K. “Deindustrializing the U.S. Economy: The Roles of Trade, Productivity, and Recession.” Congressional Research Service (2004): 3-8. Print.Elwell, Craig K., Marc Labonte, and Wayne M. Morrison. “CRS Report for Congress: China Is a Threat to the US Economy.” Congressional Research Service (2007). Press."The environment in China: tax times to face The Economist." The Economist 29 October 2011. Print.Bumiller, Elisabeth. "US Official Warns of China's Military Buildup." New York Times August 25, 2011, section. A: 8. Print.Bajori, Jayshree. “Background: The China-North Korea Relationship.” Foreign Affairs Council (2010). Network. 06 November. 2011. .