When looking at the African continent, Africa is now a socially and economically vibrant destination for foreign powers to invest in and has generated interest of traditional Western powers and of...Show moreWhen looking at the African continent, Africa is now a socially and economically vibrant destination for foreign powers to invest in and has generated interest of traditional Western powers and of the newly emerged ‘Southern powers’ such as China. China puts great effort in differentiating themselves from other partners of African nations. China portrays itself as an ‘all-weather friend’ of Africa that strives for changing the economic world order justly in which all (developing) countries have a say. This research looks at how the Chinese government constructs its engagement in Africa as different compared to Western involvement on the African continent, and how this difference is constituted through different strategies of differentiation: historical ties, South-South mutual understanding, Soft Power and Non-conditional development cooperation.Show less
This thesis raises the following research question: How does Zheng Xiaoqiong narrate the experience of the female migrant worker and their views on marriage in her anthology Female Workers: A...Show moreThis thesis raises the following research question: How does Zheng Xiaoqiong narrate the experience of the female migrant worker and their views on marriage in her anthology Female Workers: A Record? Reading Zheng Xiaoqiong’s Female Workers, I argue that her work is a form of agency because she communicates the experience of female migrant workers different to existing mainstream narratives. My aim is to show how poetic representations can provide alternative perspectives on the experience of female workers.Show less
This thesis presents an ethnographic report of the subculture of skateboarding in the city of Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. Through interviews as well as both participant and not...Show moreThis thesis presents an ethnographic report of the subculture of skateboarding in the city of Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. Through interviews as well as both participant and not participant observations, the author has immersed himself in the local skateboarding scene to discover the peculiarities of this movement as well as the links that connect skateboarding in this mid-sized city to declinations of this subculture around the country and the world.Show less
This thesis aims to answer the research question: what influences countries in their response to the alleged human rights abuse of the Uyghur ethnic minority in China? In order to answer this, the...Show moreThis thesis aims to answer the research question: what influences countries in their response to the alleged human rights abuse of the Uyghur ethnic minority in China? In order to answer this, the concept of human rights in international relations, as well as the three main theories of international relations are projected on two case studies of international reactions to China’s alleged human rights abuse of the Uyghur ethnic minority in the Xinjiang autonomous region: Turkey and the European Union.Show less
The purpose of my research is to study the dominant discourse on China’s Belt and Road Iniative in Africa within news articles published by the Chinese news agency Xinhua, and how China perceives...Show moreThe purpose of my research is to study the dominant discourse on China’s Belt and Road Iniative in Africa within news articles published by the Chinese news agency Xinhua, and how China perceives its own role in Africa.Show less
Many scholars today are occupied with China’s engagements with Africa, as China is slowly changing the rules of development. One of the largest nations it is interacting with today is Kenya, and...Show moreMany scholars today are occupied with China’s engagements with Africa, as China is slowly changing the rules of development. One of the largest nations it is interacting with today is Kenya, and this thesis will apply three theories in international relations to the case of economic development under Chinese investments in Kenya: the theories of Wallerstein, Alden and Nurkse which elaborate on global, regional, and national engagement with developing economies respectively. The main objective of this thesis is to identify and illustrate the effects of China’s financial support and investments in Kenya’s economy. China’s rhetoric of mutually beneficial cooperation reflects, at least theoretically, its benevolence and underlying focus on development. China’s underlying economic and diplomatic motivations will be discussed, followed by expounding on the presence of Chinese businesses in Kenya, the Chinese One Belt, One Road initiative, and Kenya’s Vision 2030. The Kenyan government should be careful to keep the economic growth in its own hands by not relying too much on Chinese credit loans and investments, but focus at generating its own capital.Show less
The exponential increase in Chinese investments abroad since the 2008 financial crisis, along with the idiosyncratic characteristics associated with Chinese investment, has led to policy debates in...Show moreThe exponential increase in Chinese investments abroad since the 2008 financial crisis, along with the idiosyncratic characteristics associated with Chinese investment, has led to policy debates in many developed economies around the world. This thesis conducts a discourse analysis of the policy debate on Chinese investments in key technologies in the European Union that started around 2016, led by the normative research question “Should the EU protect European key technologies from being acquired by Chinese entities through Foreign Direct Investment?". It analyses respectively the purpose of the actors involved (China and the EU); the (perceived) necessity of EU protection of key technologies from Chinese FDI; and the risks related to the protection of key technologies in the EU. In doing so, it provides an overview of the different discourses, building on theoretical insights from a wide range of literature: including on strategic thinking in the EU, and the drivers behind Chinese FDI for both firms and polities.Show less
Confucianism has a long history in China, and its reach continues to grow. Confucianism is the practice of following the ideology of Confucius (551 B.C. – 479 B.C.), who was a Chinese philosopher...Show moreConfucianism has a long history in China, and its reach continues to grow. Confucianism is the practice of following the ideology of Confucius (551 B.C. – 479 B.C.), who was a Chinese philosopher and teacher. In memory of him, the many Confucian temples in China not only display the importance of Confucius and his philosophy but also teach visitors about Confucius and Confucianism. These are temples where people can pay their respects to Confucius, honor him, and learn more about his life and thoughts. The Confucius Temple in Qufu was built a year after Confucius’ death, in 478 BC, at the location thought to have been his residence. The Temple is advertised in many tourist guides as the largest and most famous Confucian temple in China, and as one of the three greatest ancient building complexes in the country. This study tries to understand how the Temple contributes to the understanding that visitors gain from visiting the Temple, by conducting questionnaires and interviews.Show less
As Chinese domestic tourism to Tibet continues to grow, understanding the mechanisms and ‘effects’ of such ethnic tourism becomes increasingly important. The historical story of the marriage...Show moreAs Chinese domestic tourism to Tibet continues to grow, understanding the mechanisms and ‘effects’ of such ethnic tourism becomes increasingly important. The historical story of the marriage between the Chinese princess Wencheng and the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo is commonly known in China and employed by the Chinese government to legitimize their modern rule over Tibet. This study uses Critical Discourse Analysis to research a theater play of this story, and the presence of this story in Tibet’s many tourist sites. The results of the analysis reveal a process that shows how state-directed stories could become commonly regarded as ‘true’, with tourism as the primary vehicle to advance such a process. I argue that such a process can be found in other cases as well, and is not unique to the story of princess Wencheng.Show less
This thesis focuses on the representation of ethnic minorities in official images in the People's Republic of China (PRC) during Mao's chairmanship (1949-1976) and 2018-2019. Representation of...Show moreThis thesis focuses on the representation of ethnic minorities in official images in the People's Republic of China (PRC) during Mao's chairmanship (1949-1976) and 2018-2019. Representation of ethnic minorities in the PRC has been researched before, but most of this research was focused on solely one time period. By studying two different time periods, the development of the representation through time is made visible which can provide insights regarding future development. Since the PRC's government controls almost all information outlets within the country, the analyzed images (propaganda posters and newspaper images) representing Chinese ethnic minorities therefore reflect the government's official discourse of these people. The results of this research show that the official discourse of ethnic minorities in the PRC has remained relatively similar. Ethnic minorities are portrayed in images from both times as less civilized, more backward, more exotic and inferior to their Han counterparts.Show less
In recent years, China’s rise has had profound effects on a global scale as well as on individual states. There is an academic debate whether this rise is peaceful and possibly mutual beneficial or...Show moreIn recent years, China’s rise has had profound effects on a global scale as well as on individual states. There is an academic debate whether this rise is peaceful and possibly mutual beneficial or that it is a threat, economically speaking as well as political. This thesis aims to determine to what extent Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) affects the economic sovereignty of Laos. In this context, economic sovereignty is defined as the power and capability of a national government to decisions make independent of the interests of other governments. Using quantitative and qualitative research and various case studies, research has been conducted to examine the effects of Chinese FDI on the economic sovereignty of Laos in the last five years including current times. The results indicate a strong correlation between Chinese economic activity in Laos and the deepening of economic dependency on China as well as a decay of economic sovereignty for Laos due to significant debt accumulation.Show less
This Bachelor Thesis explores the Chinese strategy "Peaceful Rise" under the Chinese President Xi Jinping as perceived and expressed by the German chancellor Angela Merkel in her speeches from 2014...Show moreThis Bachelor Thesis explores the Chinese strategy "Peaceful Rise" under the Chinese President Xi Jinping as perceived and expressed by the German chancellor Angela Merkel in her speeches from 2014 until April 2019. The study was conducted through a frame analysis in the context of the Shannon and Weaver communication model. The speeches were chosen according to the occurence of the keyword "China" (mentioned at least four times). The four frames identified in the official political speeches are (1) China as an opportunity, (2) China as a global power, (3) China as a role model, and (4) China as a threat. In the context of previous research, economic cooperation remained the main factor in advancing diplomatic relations between Germany and China. Chinese competition in regards to financial institutions (AIIB) and the Emission Trading System (ETS) were presented under the "China as a threat" frame by Angela Merkel. A possible explanation is the shortfall or missing initiatives in those aspects by the European and/or German institutions. More so, this research suggests to expand the term smart power by the elements of normative power in the context of the Chinese development. To expand on this thesis, further research is recommended in regards to the Chinese culture as perceived abroad. Furthermore, a media perspective could give insights about the question, whether political and media publications differ in their perception on the Chinese "Peaceful Rise" and analyze which medium is more effective in addressing the audience.Show less
The goal of this paper is to give an insight on the complexity issues connected with the role of China in the United Nation’s (UN) action upon the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle. The...Show moreThe goal of this paper is to give an insight on the complexity issues connected with the role of China in the United Nation’s (UN) action upon the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle. The research does so by analyzing the variety of steps undertaken, between August 2017 and February 2019, by the Security Council (SC), General Assembly (GA) and Human Rights Council (HRC), and China’s response to them in the UN in the context of the Rohingya Conflict within the three pillars concept. The Security Council is the most important decision making body in the UN and China has an important role in it as a member of the permanent five (P5). It’s growing importance in the UN and close relationship with Myanmar make it one of the most important actors in the peace process in Rakhine state. Even though China has accepted the R2P concept, it still remains cautious about its influence on the principle of sovereignty. The issue of the principle of sovereignty is often used by China as an narrative against putting more pressure on Myanmar’s government in regards to the Rohingya Conflict. Therefore, undertaking any decisive action by the UNSC under R2P proves to be a complex matter. This research thus agrees with major critiques of the UNSC structure and the R2P principle, which state that the R2P needs more clarification. However, the research also agrees that the R2P has been accepted into the UN as a norm and that China has assumed a key role as a mediator in the Rohingya Conflict using R2P as a narrative supporting its actions.Show less
In January 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping commemorated the 40th anniversary of the historical 'Message to Compatriots in Taiwan' with a speech that reiterated that Taiwan's sole sovereign...Show moreIn January 2019, Chinese President Xi Jinping commemorated the 40th anniversary of the historical 'Message to Compatriots in Taiwan' with a speech that reiterated that Taiwan's sole sovereign government is that of the People's Republic of China and that Taiwan must reunify with China as such. Xi's speech was celebrated in the Chinese state media but heavily criticised in the Taiwanese news. This thesis looks at Chinese official discourse in both official speeches and state-owned newspaper articles and argues the close relationship between the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese state media allows for the unified promotion of the 'one China' principle in order to justify increasingly aggressive cross-strait rhetoric and policy.Show less
