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

Hayton, Bill

doi:10.1355/cs40-2k

Cited by 10 publications

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“…In this iterative process, social actors, such as political leaders, call upon available cultural resources/structures. Although not explicitly cultural, Turcsányi’s [ 43 ] study of China’s assertive policies in the South China Sea reveals a similar concept: “reactive assertiveness.” In 4 out of the 5 policy cases he examines, the immediate trigger for acting (inappropriately) boldly and assertively comes from the actions of an external actor (ibid: 173–174). We bring the cultural turn into conversation with these reactive models by conceptualizing a theoretical framework in which performance is paramount.…”

Section: Bringing Together Globalization Nationalism and Culture: Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…That is to say, the response of one country seems to be triggered by that of the other -- an assertive move from one side results in a more assertive move from the other side -- and this back-and-forth escalation resembles the “reactive nationalism” ([ 11 ]; cf. [ 43 ]) discussed above. In Fig.…”

Section: Bringing Together Globalization Nationalism and Culture: Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accordingly, the US and China are said to be entwined in a “security dilemma” of distrust, in which the actions of both sides provoke reactions that threaten to spiral out of control [ 29 ]. While there has been some academic work emphasizing the mutual responsiveness of Sino-US relations [ 43 ], most publications have focused on how the discourse in either the US or in China develops [ 10 , 23 , 25 , 52 ].…”

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confidence: 99%

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The Politics of Blaming: the Narrative Battle between China and the US over COVID-19

Jaworsky

Qiaoan

2020

J OF CHIN POLIT SCI

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are witnessing a surge of nationalism throughout an ostensibly globalized world. In this article, we focus on the "narrative battle" over COVID-19 that has escalated between two competing major powers-China and the US. Guided by a cultural sociological approach, we reveal the meaning-making processes behind the narrative battle through in-depth, hermeneutical reconstruction of the "reactive performance" of each country, as articulated in political speeches and mass media. We point out that, in the Chinese narrative, the country emerges from a "century of humiliation," becoming a major world power that will no longer be subject to the "bullying" of the West. In the US narrative, even though Trump initially highlights the country's "very good" relationship with China, as the storyline unfolds, China is blamed for the global pandemic, assuming again the role of a dangerous actor on the world stage. Our research shows that the current reactive communicative mechanism is not only unsustainable, but also dangerous in times of crisis. We suggest that recognition of the narrative battle and acknowledgement of its performative function in the public sphere is the first step toward mutual understanding and meaningful dialogue between these two world powers. Keywords Sino-US relations. Narrative battle. Nationalism. Cultural sociology. COVID-19 "Distress rejuvenates a nation" (多难兴邦). Wen Jiabao (2008, quoted in [45]). Arguably, the COVID-19 pandemic is not only the "inevitable result" of globalization but may also threaten globalization as we know it [50]. As is typical in times of crisis, we are witnessing a surge of nationalism throughout an ostensibly globalized world. Nation states are retreating into a self-protective mode; yet, at the same time,

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Section: Bringing Together Globalization Nationalism and Culture: Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Bringing Together Globalization Nationalism and Culture: Amentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Politics of Blaming: the Narrative Battle between China and the US over COVID-19

Jaworsky

Qiaoan

2020

J OF CHIN POLIT SCI

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“…Instead, they argue that China's foreign policy is in continuity than changes, although concurrently they do not deny that China's approach in territorial disputes is moving into a more assertive direction. For a recent, comprehensive study on China's assertiveness, including the conceptualization of assertiveness, see Turcsányi (2018). 3.…”

Section: Declaration Of Conflicting Interestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Assertiveness Paying the Bill? China’s Domestic Audience Costs in the South China Sea Disputes

Ramadhani

2019

Journal of Asian Security and International Affairs

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China's assertiveness in the South China Sea has drawn international attention, especially in the past decade. Yet China has not always resorted to assertive foreign policy. Efforts to de-escalate tension are evident despite the domestic preference for tougher action. This study centres on a question: what makes for China's assertiveness. I argue that China's assertive foreign policy originates in leaders' domestic consideration. Utilizing audience costs theory I focus on two assumptions that need to be relaxed: unitary domestic audiences and consistency in leaders' crisis behaviour. China's non-unitary domestic audiences, namely the elites and public, have different interests, although they share support for assertiveness in the South China Sea. Domestic audiences can tolerate inconsistency insofar as leaders are able to justify their decision, that is, to de-escalate the South China Sea disputes without dropping assertiveness. Foreign policy decision-making in China remains somewhat opaque, but domestic audiences can influence the process albeit not directly. In this regard, China's assertiveness serves to generate audience costs so as to underpin regime legitimacy.

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“…Richard Q. Turcsanyi, on his book Chinese Assertiveness in the South China Sea, has reviewed regarding on what condition this policy considered as assertive behavior. Turcsanyi defined the term assertiveness as bold action in inappropriately way, narrowly defined the own interest of an actor even it is contradictory with other, qualitatively/ quantitatively different to the actions of other actor, qualitatively/ quantitatively different to other periods (Turcsányi, 2018). The table below shows the China actions from 2011 to the present which signified its more active policy in the South China Sea.…”

Section: China Assertiveness In the South China Seamentioning

confidence: 99%

PHILIPPINE Â€“ US DEFENSE COOPERATION: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF Â€œTHE ENHANCED DEFENSE COOPERATION AGREEMENTâ€ TO RESPOND CHINAâ€™S ASSERTIVENESS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA (2010 Â€“ 2016)

Montolalu

Perwita

2019

JAPS

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China assertiveness in the South China Sea has considered as part of its national ambition to dominate most of the sea area as stated in its claim on the "nine-dashed line". This China assertiveness could be seen in its more active policy by projected military power in area disputing. As one of the claimant states, the Philippine felt that China's actions toward the region have harmed their territorial sovereignty over the West

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

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

The Politics of Blaming: the Narrative Battle between China and the US over COVID-19

The Politics of Blaming: the Narrative Battle between China and the US over COVID-19

Is Assertiveness Paying the Bill? China’s Domestic Audience Costs in the South China Sea Disputes

PHILIPPINE Â€“ US DEFENSE COOPERATION: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF Â€œTHE ENHANCED DEFENSE COOPERATION AGREEMENTâ€ TO RESPOND CHINAâ€™S ASSERTIVENESS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA (2010 Â€“ 2016)

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

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

The Politics of Blaming: the Narrative Battle between China and the US over COVID-19

The Politics of Blaming: the Narrative Battle between China and the US over COVID-19

Is Assertiveness Paying the Bill? China’s Domestic Audience Costs in the South China Sea Disputes

PHILIPPINE Â€“ US DEFENSE COOPERATION: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF Â€œTHE ENHANCED DEFENSE COOPERATION AGREEMENTâ€ TO RESPOND CHINAâ€™S ASSERTIVENESS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA (2010 Â€“ 2016)

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PHILIPPINE Â€“ US DEFENSE COOPERATION: THE IMPLEMENTATION OF Â€œTHE ENHANCED DEFENSE COOPERATION AGREEMENTâ€ TO RESPOND CHINAâ€™S ASSERTIVENESS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA (2010 Â€“ 2016)