What is China's image in the world?

Welcome to a two-part thread about the perception of these two countries, China and America. If this kicks off, I'll start a third thread bringing the two together.

Considering everything that's happened/happening lately, what is China's image in the world? Consider everything, from the general:

What does China stand for?
Is China a force for good or evil?
Does China have friends or enemies? What do friends/enemies think of China?

...to the specific:

How do(es):

Foreign intervention (or not!)
Domestic and foreign surveillance
The state of the economy
Its political effectiveness
Its record on human rights
Cultural attitudes
And anything else you think is important

The questions in the two threads are parallel to one another, and I'm pretty happy in how the symmetry turned out. I'm very curious to see whether members foreign to both countries will pitch in their ideas (cuz that will carry the discussion)! If there's anything you're not sure about or don't have an answer/opinion to, pose that as a question. What we don't know and what we think we don't know is just as important as what we know and what we think we know.

Happy discussing (and introspecting for you Chinese out there)!

I'm an American-born Chinese and I associate with a lot of people who grew up in China. I don't plan on discussing my point of view very deeply, but from what I've experienced, there are some things about the Chinese culture that I admire, and some things that I really really despise.

For example: you've heard of "Tiger Parenting," right? It's pretty common for Chinese parents to be strict about their children's academic success. One thing I like about this attitude is that it motivates their children to work hard and achieve high goals. However, it doesn't teach Chinese children how to think critically and creatively, and most importantly, to learn for the sake of learning. Tiger parenting places a heavy emphasis on rote learning, which I believe is ineffective. There is a phrase in the Chinese language called "填鸭" which literally translates to "stuff the duck." It also refers to the Chinese style of education, which pretty much consists of teaching to the test. Many people (including myself) have criticized this method because it teaches students how to become good test-takers, but oppresses curiosity and passion. I know, because I've had first-hand experience with this system... There was a point in my life where all I cared about was getting A's to impress my friends, family and teachers, but later on I realized that tests weren't all that mattered. Looking back, I didn't really know how to "think" at all, I just knew how to memorize my notes to get A's.

As for China as a country... I don't really have any strong opinions. I don't think any country is necessarily good or evil because the world isn't black and white. People complain about the amount of pollution in China, and I agree that that is a problem which I hope they fix eventually.

In sum, sometimes I claim that I'm racist against my own race, but lately I've realized that there are good things about my culture that I should appreciate more. I admire the strong Chinese work ethic, family values/unity and of course, food. I know not all Chinese people are the way I described, but this is coming from my personal experience as a Chinese person with a lot of Chinese friends.