China's Ambition to Balance Power within the Framework of Soft and Normative Power Concepts

Year 2024, , 194 - 210, 30.11.2024

Emrah Yıldırımçakar

https://doi.org/10.30613/curesosc.1498132

Abstract

There are various power-balancing strategies have been examined in the field of International Relations and Political Science scholarship. While Western powers generally tend to use hard power or hard balancing strategies, China distinguishes itself from them by often seeking power balancing through soft and normative power. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country has pursued a peaceful policy in its international affairs. Although China has recently adopted a more proactive foreign policy in parallel with its increasing political and economic influence in global politics and its tense relations with Taiwan, Hong Kong, and neighbouring countries, it has not moved away from its traditional peaceful foreign policy. Accordingly, China has focused on goals such as maintaining its Non-interference policies, realizing the Chinese Dream through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and establishing Confucius Institutes to increase its normative and soft power influence in the international arena. This study aims to analyse China's power balancing strategies through soft and normative power strategies, in the context of China's current rising power position in the international arena.

Keywords

Power Balancing, Soft Power, Normative Power, Theories of International Relations, China

Çin'in Yumuşak ve Normatif Güç Kavramları Çerçevesinde Güç Dengeleme Tutkusu

Abstract

Uluslararası İlişkiler ve Siyaset Bilimi alanlarında araştırma konusu olmuş farklı güç dengeleme stratejileri mevcuttur. Batılı güçler genellikle sert güç veya sert dengeleme stratejilerini kullanma eğilimi gösterme gayretindeyken, Çin genellikle yumuşak ve normatif güç kullanma yoluyla, kendisini güç dengeleme stratejisi bağlamında farklılaştırmaya çalışmaktadır. Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti, kuruluşundan bu yana, dış ilişkilerinde barışçıl bir dış politika izlemeye çalışmıştır. Çin, küresel politikada artan siyasi ve ekonomik nüfuzuna ve Tayvan, Hong Kong ve diğer komşu ülkelerle olan gergin ilişkilerine paralel olarak, son zamanlarda daha proaktif bir dış politika benimseme gayreti içerisinde olsa da geleneksel ve barışçıl dış politikasından uzaklaşmamıştır. Buna göre Çin, başka ülkelerin iç işlerine karışmamak anlamına gelen müdahale etmeme politikasını sürdürmek, Kuşak ve Yol Girişimi aracılığıyla Çin Rüyasını gerçekleştirmek, uluslararası alanda normatif ve yumuşak güç etkisini artırmak için Konfüçyüs Enstitüleri kurmak gibi farklı hedefler üzerinde yoğunlaşmış durumdadır. Bu çalışma, Çin'in uluslararası alandaki mevcut yükselen güç konumu çerçevesinde, Çin'in güç dengeleme stratejisini yine Çin’in yumuşak ve normatif güç stratejileri bağlamında analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır.

Keywords

Güç Dengeleme, Yumuşak Güç, Normatif Güç, Uluslararası İlişkiler Teorileri, Çin

References

• Acharya, A. (2019). From heaven to earth: ‘Cultural idealism’ and ‘Moral realism’ as Chinese contributions to global international relations. The Chinese Journal of International Politics, 12(4), 467-494.
• Ai, J. (2011). The political use of tradition in contemporary China [Unpublished PhD Thesis]. University of Melbourne.
• Allison, G. (2017). Destined for war: Can America and China escape thucydides' trap. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
• Bennett, A., & Elman, C. (2007). Qualitative methods the view from the subfields. Comparative Political Studies, 40(2), 111-121.
• Blanchard, J. M. F., & Lu, F. (2012). Thinking hard about soft power: A review and critique of the literature on China and soft power. Asian Perspective, 36(4), 565-589.
• Carr, E. H. (1962). The twenty years crisis 1919-1939: An introduction to the study of international relations. Macmillan.
• Casarini, N. (2016). When all roads lead to Beijing: Assessing China’s new Silk road and its implications for Europe. The International Spectator, 51(4), 95-108.
• Chen, M. E. (2007). Chinese national oil companies and human rights. Orbis, 51(1), 41–54.
• Clarke, M. (2018). The belt and road initiative: Exploring Beijing’s motivations and challenges for its new silk road. Strategic Analysis, 42(2), 84-102, https://doi.org/10.1080/09700161.2018.1439326
• Claude, J. L. I. (1962). Power and international relations. Random House.
• Cox, R. W. (1987). Production, power, and world order. Columbia University Press.
• Devadason, E. S. (2012). The trans-pacific partnership (tpp): The Chinese perspective. Journal of Contemporary China, 23(87), 462-479.
• Diez, T. (2005) Constructing the self and changing others: Reconsidering ‘normative power Europe. Journal of International Studies, 33(3), 613-636.
• Diez, T. (2013) Normative power as hegemony. Cooperation and Conflict, 48(2), 194-210.
• Dig Mandarin. (2024) Confucius institutes around the world – 2024, March 20, https://www.digmandarin.com/confucius-institutes-around-the-world.html
• Ding, S. (2010) Analyzing rising power from the perspective of soft power: A new look at China’s rise to the status quo power. Journal of Contemporary China, 19(64), 255-272.
• Duchêne, F. (1973). The European Community and the uncertainities of interdependence. In M. Kohnstamm, & H. Wolfgang (Eds.) A nation writ large? Foreign policy problems befora the European Community. Macmillan.
• Elman, C. (2003). Introduction: Appraising balance of power theory. In Realism and the balancing of power: A new debate. In Vasquez, J. A. & Elman, C. (Eds.) Prentice Hall.
• Fallon, T. (2014). China’s pivot to Europe. American Foreign Policy Interests, 36(3), 75–182.
• Feng, H., & He, K. (2019). A dynamic strategic culture model and China’s behaviour in the South China Sea. Cambridge Review of International Affairs, 34(4), 510-529. https://doi.org/10.1080/09557571.2019.1642301
• Feng, H., & Kai, H. (2020). The study of Chinese scholars in foreign policy analysis: An emerging research program. The Pacific Review, 33(3-4), 362-385.
• Han, Z. (2011). Confucius institutes and China’s public diplomacy. Public Diplomacy Quarterly, 7,14-20.
• Ikenberry, G. J. (2008). The rise of China and the future of the west: Can the liberal system survive? Foreign Affairs, 87(1), 23-37.
• Jackson, J. (1975). Normative power and conflict potential. Sociological Methods & Research, 4(2), 237–239.
• Jervis, R. (1978). Cooperation under the security dilemma. World Politics, 30(2), 167–214. https://doi.org/10.2307/2009958
• Kavalski, E. (2013). The struggle for recognition of normative powers: Normative power Europe and normative power China in context. Cooperation and Conflict, 48(2), 247-267.
• Keohane, R. O. (1984). After hegemon, cooperation and discord in the world political economy. Princeton University Press.
• Lake, D. A. (2007). Escape from the state of nature: Authority and hierarchy in world politics. International Security, 32(1), 47-79.
• Lanteigne, M. (2005). China and international institutions: Alternate paths to global power. Routledge.
• Layne, C. (2014). The peace of illusions. Cornell Uniersity Press.
• Mahoney, M. (2007). Qualitative methodology and comparative politics, Comparative Political Studies, 40(2), 122-144.
• Manners, I. (2002). Normative power Europe: A contradiction in terms? Journal of Common Market Studies, 40(2), 235-258.
• Manners, I. (2009). The concept of normative power in world politics. Danish Institute for International Studies Brief.
• McDouall, D. (2012). Responses to ‘Rising China’ in the East Asian Region: Soft balancing with accommodation. Journal of Contemporary China, 21(73), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2012.627662
• Mearsheimer, J. (2001). The tragedy of great power politics. Norton and Company.
• Ministry of Foreign Affair of the People’s Republic of China. (2020). China’s initiation of the five principles of peaceful Coexistence. 29 June. http://ir.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/dtxw/201407/t20140702_1894012.htm
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China. (2014). Carry forward the five principles of peaceful coexistence to build a better world through win-win cooperation. 28 June. http://en.people.cn/n/2014/0710/c90883-8753393.html
• Montgomery, E. B. (2014). Contested primacy in the Western pacific: China’s rise and the future of U.S. power projection. International Security, 38(4), 115-149.
• Morgenthau, H. J. (1967). Politics among Nations. Alfred A. Knopf.
• Morgenthau, H. J. (1985). Politics among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. (6th ed.) (Rev. by K. W. Thompson). McGraw-Hill.
• Nye, J. S. (1990). The changing nature of world power. Political Science Quarterly, 105(2), 177-92.
• Nye, J. S. (2004). Soft power: The means to success in world politics. Public Affairs.
• Nye, J. S. (2008). Public diplomacy and soft power. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 616, 94-109.
• Organski, A. F. K. (1968). World politics (2. Ed.). Alfred A. Knopf.
• Papageorgiou, M., Can, M. & Vieira, A. (2024). China as a threat and balancing behavior in the realm of emerging technologies. Chinese Political Science Review, 9(2), 507-526.
• Pape, R. A. (2005). Soft balancing against the United States. International Security, 30(1), 7-45.
• Paul, T.V. (2005). Soft balancing in the age of U.S. primacy. International Security, 30(1), 46-71.
• Peng, Z. (2020). A Comparative analysis of the normative power of the EU and China [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. The University of Melbourne.
• Schweller, R. (1994). Bandwagoning for profit: Bringing the revisionist state back in. International Security, 19(1), 72-107.
• Shambaugh, D. (2015). China’s soft-power push: The search for respect. Foreign Affairs, 94(4), 99-107.
• Shen, D. (2010). Don’t shun the idea of setting up overseas military bases. China.org.cn. 28 January. http://www.china.org.cn/ opinion/2010-01/28/content_19324522.htm
• Shlapak, D. A., Orletsky, D. T., Reid, T. I., Tanner, M. S., & Wilson, B. (2009). A question of balance: Political context and military aspects of the China- Taiwan dispute. RAND Corporation.
• Sun, Y. (2013). March west: China’s response to the U.S. rebalancing. 31 January. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/march-west-chinas-response-to-the-u-s-rebalancing/
• Tarabay, J. (2018). CIA official: China wants to replace US as world superpower. CNN, July 21. https://edition.cnn.com/2018/ 07/20/politics/china-cold-war-us-superpower-influence/index.html
• Timo, K. (2014). Soft power and global governance with Chinese characteristics. Chinese Journal of International Politics, 7(4), 421-447.
• The White House. (2013). The United States and the Asia-Pacific in 2013. 11 March. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/ the-press-office/2013/03/11/remarks-tom-donilon-national-security-advisor-president-united-states-an
• Walt, S. M. (1985). Alliance formation and the balance of power. International Security, 9, 3-43.
• Walt, S. M. (1987). The origins of alliances. Cornell Universty Presss.
• Waltz, K.N. (1979). Theory of international politics. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
• Waltz, K.N. (1997). Evaluating theories. American Political Science Review, 91(4), 913-916.
• Waltz, K.N. (2000). Structural realism after the Cold War. International Security, 25(1), 5-41
• Wang, Y. (2017). Creative involvement: A new direction in China’s diplomacy. Routledge.
• Wight, M. (1978). Power politics. Bull H & Holbraad, C. (Eds.) Leicester University Press.
• Wohlforth, W. C. (1999). The stability of a unipolar world. International Security, 24(1), 30-32.
• Womack, B. (2008). China as a normative foreign policy actor. In Tocci, N. (Eds.) Who is a Normative Foreign Policy Actor? The European Union and its Global Partners. Centre for European Policy Studies.
• Wunderlich, C. (2013). Theoretical approaches in norm dynamics. In Muller, H. & Wunderlich, C. (Eds.), Norm dynamics in multilateral arms control: Interests, conflicts, and justice, University of Georgia Press (pp. 32-54).
• Xinhua News Agency. (2017). Full text of President Xi’s speech at the opening of the Belt and Road forum. 15 May. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-05/14/c_136282982.htm
• Xinhua News Agency. (2007). Soft power, a new focus at 'two sessions'. 15 March. http://www.china.org.cn/english/2007lh/ 203103.htm
• Zhao, S., & Xiong, Q. (2016). Hedging and geostrategic balance of east Asian countries toward China. Journal of Contemporary China, 25(100), 485-499. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2015.1132684e2
• Zheng, B. (2005). China’s “peaceful rise” to great-power status. Foreign Affairs, 84(5), 18-24.
• Zhou, J. (2019). China’s core interests and dilemma in foreign policy practice. Pacific Focus, XXXIV(1), 31–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/pafo.12131
• Zhou, W., & Esteban, M. (2018). Beyond balancing: China’s approach towards the belt and road initiative. Journal of Contemporary China, 27(112), 487-501. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2018.1433476
• Yellinek, R., Yossi, M., & Udi, L. (2020). Chinese soft-power in the Arab world–China’s confucius institutes as a central tool of influence. Comparative Strategy, 39(6), 517-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/01495933.2020.1826843.
• Yildirimcakar, E., & Han, Z. (2022). China’s soft power strategy in the Middle East, Israel Affairs, 28(2), 199-207.