Chinese Assertiveness in the South China Sea: Power Sources, Domestic Politics, and Reactive Foreign Policy

197 Pages·2018·3.884 MB·English

by  Richard Q. Turcsányi (auth.)

Global Power Shift
Richard Q. Turcsányi
Chinese
Assertiveness
in the South
China Sea
Power Sources, Domestic Politics, and
Reactive Foreign Policy
Global Power Shift
Comparative Analysis and Perspectives
Serieseditor:
XuewuGu
CenterforGlobalStudies,UniversityofBonn,Bonn,Germany
ManagingEditor:
EnricoFels
CenterforGlobalStudies,UniversityofBonn,Bonn,Germany
InternationalAdvisoryBoard:
LuisFernandes,PontificiaUniversidade,RiodeJaneiro,Brazil
G.JohnIkenberry,PrincetonUniversity,USA
CanrongJin,RenminUniversityofBeijing,China
SrikanthKondapalli,JawaharlalNehruUniversity,India
DingliShen,FudanUniversity,China
KazuhikoTogo,KyotoSanyoUniversity,Japan
RobertoZoboli,CatholicUniversityofMilan,Italy
Ample empirical evidence points to recent power shifts in multiple areas of
internationalrelationstakingplacebetweenindustrializedcountriesandemerging
powers,aswellasbetweenstatesandnon-stateactors.However,thereisadearthof
theoretical interpretation and synthesis of these findings, and a growing need for
coherent approaches to understand and measure the transformation. The central
issuestobeaddressedincludetheoreticalquestionsandempiricalpuzzles:Howcan
studiesofglobalpowershiftandtheriseof‘emergingpowers’benefitfromexisting
theories, and which alternative aspects and theoretical approaches might be suit-
able? How can the meanings, perceptions, dynamics, and consequences of global
power shift be determined and assessed? This edited series will include highly
innovativeresearchonthesetopics.Itaimstobringtogetherscholarsfromallmajor
worldregionsaswellasdifferentdisciplines,includingpoliticalscience,econom-
ics and human geography. The overall aim is to discuss and possibly blend their
differentapproachesandprovidenewframeworksforunderstandingglobalaffairs
andthegovernanceofglobalpowershifts.
Moreinformationaboutthisseriesathttp://www.springer.com/series/10201
Richard Q. Turcsa´nyi
Chinese Assertiveness
in the South China Sea
Power Sources, Domestic Politics,
and Reactive Foreign Policy
RichardQ.Turcsa´nyi
InstituteofInternationalRelationsPrague
Prague,CzechRepublic
ISSN2198-7343 ISSN2198-7351 (electronic)
GlobalPowerShift
ISBN978-3-319-67647-0 ISBN978-3-319-67648-7 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67648-7
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017956339
©SpringerInternationalPublishingAG2018
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Acknowledgements
Greatmanypeoplemademyeffortofdoingthisresearchpossible.Thetextofthis
bookwasfirstdevelopedasaPh.D.thesisatMasarykUniversity,andIwouldlike
tothankmyPh.D.supervisorProf.ZdeneˇkKrˇ´ıž.Fromthefirstmoment,hehasbeen
essential support and the source of very pertinent questioning of my research
directions.Iappreciateverymuchbothhisacademicsupervisionandhispersonal
approach,whichmadeeveryinteractionwithhimapleasantandenrichingexperi-
ence. Other members of the Department of International Relations and European
StudiesatMasarykUniversitysupportedmeinvariouswaysduringtheyearsofmy
studiesthere.TheheadofthedepartmentDr.PetrSuchy´ hasmadeeveryeffortin
his capacity to help me with all academic and practical issues. Prof. V´ıt Hlousˇek
supportedanumberofmyinternationalresearch stays,andIam alsothankful for
his always welcoming personal approach. I have been lucky to cooperate with
Dr.HedvikaKodˇouskova´,andher friendly adviceandpresence atthe department
made my experience there very enjoyable. A number of other people at the
department helped me in various academic or nonacademic ways, and I feel
indebted to them, including Dr. Pavel Psˇeja and Dr. Petr Vil´ımek, who gave me
the opportunity to teach in their courses which I appreciate very much. Prof.
Bradley Thayer was extremely kind to discuss with me in a pleasant informal
setting during his visiting stay in Brno. I would also like to thank specifically
Martin Glogar from the Office of International Cooperation for his support in
anythingIwasabouttododuringandaftermyPh.D.studies.
The final version of this text was developed already at the Institute of Inter-
national Relations in Prague, and I would like to thank a number of individuals
there for their invaluable support. This goes especially to the director Prof. Petr
Kratochv´ılforhispersonalandprofessionalattitudewhichmademefeelwelcomed
and Dr. Ondrˇej Horˇky´-Hrubesˇ, Krist´ına Tamchynova´, and Petr Burda for their
always timely willingness to help with whatever I have needed. I thank very
muchClaireHawsandKla´raOvcˇa´cˇkova´ fortheirveryhelpfulresearchassistance
and Jan Hrub´ın for wonderful language correction and editing. Finally, I am very
v
vi Acknowledgements
gratefultoDr.RudolfFürstforhisprofessionalandfriendlyadviceandopinionsin
justabouteverythingrelatedtoChina.
Ihavebeenluckytohavetheopportunitytointeractpersonallywithanumberof
superbinternationalexpertsduringmyresearchstaysandconferenceappearances
in various parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. From among people who
contributedinconsiderablewaystotheprocessorfinalformofthethesis,Iwould
liketospecificallythankProf.ZhangQingminofPekingUniversity,Prof.XieTao
from Beijing Foreign Studies University, Prof. Chen Zhimin and Prof. Ren Xiao
fromFudanUniversity,Prof.SongLileifromTongjiUniversity,Prof.YehChung-
luandProf.YuanIofNationalChengchiUniversityinTaipei,Prof.YuanJingdong
of the University of Sidney, Prof. Go Ito from Meiji University in Tokyo, Prof.
Shuhei Takemotoof Akita International University, and Prof. Victor Falkenheim,
Prof.JohnKirton,Prof.LouisPauly,Prof.SevaGunitsky,andProf.RobertAustin
all from the University of Toronto. I would like to express my deep gratitude to
Prof. Stephen Clarkson of the University of Toronto for his extreme kindness he
showedtomeduringmytimeinToronto.Ilearntwithdeepsadnessabouthisrecent
passingaway.
Athome,IfoundstablebackgroundatMendelUniversityinBrno,andIwould
like to thank all my colleagues for their support, friendship, and understanding,
namely, Dr. Jiˇr´ı Schneider, Prof. Libor Grega, Dr. Martin Hraba´lek, Dr. Ondrˇej
Mocek, Dr. Eva Taterova´, and Dr. Vladimir Dordevic—but many others alike. In
Bratislava,IwouldliketothankmycolleaguesattheInstituteofAsianStudiesfor
theiractivecooperationineverythingwehavebeenthrough,inparticularDr.Lucia
Husenicova´,Dr.Ro´bertOndrejcsa´k,FilipSˇebok,andformercolleaguesDr.Marian
MajerandSˇimonDrugda.IwouldalsoliketothankmycolleaguesintheBrussels’
European Institute for Asian Studies, namely, Jim Stoopman, Alberto Turkstra,
David Fouquet, Lin Goethals, and Axel Goethals who helped me to understand
betterhowtheheartoftheEUpoliticsworks.
FromamongmyCentralEuropeanChinaandAsia-watchercolleagues,Iwould
like to thank Prof. Dominik Mierzejewski of the University of Lodz, Jakub
Jakubowski from the University of Warsaw, Dr. Tama´s Matura of ESSCA in
Budapest,AnastasVangelifromtheUniversityofWarsaw,Dr.DraganPavlicevic
whoisnowatXianJiaotong-LiverpoolUniversityinSuzhou,Dr.MariaStrasˇa´kova´
and Dr. Petra Andeˇlova´ both from Metropolitan University Prague, Va´clav
Kopecky´ and Ivana Kara´skova´ from AMO in Prague, and Dr. Gabriela Pleschova´
and Prof. Martin Slobodn´ık both from Comenius University. I have learnt a great
dealfromallofthesepeopleabouttheirperspectivesofChina,Asia,andthestudy
of international relations in general. Many of my opinions and ideas have been
stimulated by the discussions with these people and many others, even though
someofthemmightnotbeawareofthat.
Iwouldliketothank allpeopleat Springer who participatedinthe process for
theirveryefficient,professional,andfriendlycooperation.Thisappliesspecifically
to the Managing Editor of the series Dr. Enrico Fels and Associate Editor
Dr. Johannes Glaeser. Their academic and editing advice undoubtedly improved
thequalityofthefinalversionofthetext.
Acknowledgements vii
On a personal level, I have been fortunate to have friends who have spread to
variouspartsoftheworld.Manyofthemhostedmeduringmyunexpectedtripsor
weregreatrelieftobealwaysathomereadytomeet.ThisappliesmainlytoMichal
Dancˇisˇin and Cristina Corecha, Toma´sˇ Rosival, Lenka and Toma´sˇ Abelovsk´ı,
MichalandKla´raRovinsk´ı,andSandraTeng,butmanyothersaswell.
Finally, I have always enjoyed a stable support from my loving wife, who has
alsocontributedasignificantamountofacademicandempiricalobservationstothe
research.EverystepIhavemadesinceImetherseemsmeaningfulandjoyful.Big
thank you to all my family members as well; I am extremely grateful for being
raised in this environment and being able to rely on each of them ever since.
Idedicatethisbookspecificallytomygrandparents.
Obviously, all the best effort of this large number of respectable individuals
notwithstanding,thetextundoubtedlycontainssomefaults,whicharemyown.
Note on Transcription of Asian Names
Chinese and other Asian names in the book will be Romanized according to how
they most often appear in international context. In the case of the names from
Mainland China, this means following the pinyin transcription system (in case of
names of Taiwan origin, it would be mostly the Wade–Giles system). In case a
name is commonly used in international context in other forms (such as ‘Chiang
Kai-shek’),orinthecasethetextquotesorreferstoapersonwhouseshis/hername
inothertranscriptions(suchasmanynamesofHongKongoriginorthenamesof
overseas-bornChineseandAsians),theinternationallymostcommonlyusedform
willbeused.
ix
Contents
1 ThePuzzleofChineseAssertiveness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 TheResearchDesignofThisBook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.2.1 ConceptualizationofChineseAssertiveness. . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.2.2 ElaborationoftheMainHypothesis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.2.3 ElaborationoftheAlternativeHypotheses. . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.2.4 MethodologyandTheoreticalConsiderations. . . . . . . . . . 19
1.3 ContributionsandLimitationsoftheStudy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2 ChineseAssertiveActionsintheSouthChinaSea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2.1 BackgroundandHistoryoftheSouthChinaSeaDispute. . . . . . . 31
2.1.1 GeopoliticsandGeoeconomics. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 31
2.1.2 LegalContext. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
2.1.3 HistoryoftheDispute. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2.2 ChineseAssertivePoliciesintheSouthChinaSea. . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.2.1 ThePre-2011Period. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.2.2 ThePeriodof2011–2016. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
3 AComprehensiveConceptofPowerinInternationalRelations. . . . 61
3.1 China’sPower:TheoreticalandPracticalIssues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
3.2 TheModelofPowerforAnalyticalUsein
InternationalRelations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
3.2.1 DefiningandConceptualizingPower. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
3.2.2 SourcesofPowerinInternationalRelations. . . . . . . . . . . 68
3.3 CriticalReadingoftheLiteratureonChina’sPower. . . . . . . . . . . 70
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
xi