CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2015
| Author | Watthanatidpong, Nicha |
|---|---|
| Title | CHINA'S TERRITORIAL CLAIMING POLICY IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA: POWER VS. NATIONAL IDENTITY? |
| Summary | Due to China’s expansive sovereignty claim, combined with recent reclamation and construction work in the South China Sea, the country’s policy in this contested area has gained attention. This increases tensions in the region among the six claimants, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei, and also the U.S.A. Apart from its recent ‘assertive’ rhetoric and behaviors, China’s rapid economic growth and increasing military expenditure strengthen perceptions of a ‘China threat’, opposite to an image the country has sought to project, one of ‘peaceful rise or development’. This thesis seeks to explain why Beijing has framed its territorial claiming policy to cover almost the entire South China Sea, and why it has behaved in ‘assertive’ or ‘provocative’ ways whilst rhetorically insisting on peaceful settlement. The thesis will use both realism and constructivism to answer these two questions. From a realist view, China’s rhetoric and behaviors are considered ‘defensive’ at the present time. Constructivism shows how history shapes the scope of Beijing’s sovereignty claim and strategic culture offers a better understanding of continuity in Chinese policy. Continuities include efforts towards joint development, cooperation and maintenance of regional peace and stability, while insisting on sovereignty and firmly responding to any provocations. |
| Supervisor | Merlingen, Michael |
| Department | International Relations MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2015/watthanatidpong_nicha.pdf |
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