The rise of the Dragon is a hot, reoccurring topic and an event few would deny these days. The transition from a relative isolated China to a rising power with increasing influence on the world...Show moreThe rise of the Dragon is a hot, reoccurring topic and an event few would deny these days. The transition from a relative isolated China to a rising power with increasing influence on the world stage has shaped many policy agendas of various states around the world. Apart from the impact on different continents, it most of all has affected the regional affairs in China’s own sphere. The power dynamics in the region are changing and an important role in this scene is China’s growing influence in Asia. By the end of the 2000s and beginning 2010s, Beijing embraced a more aggressive position in relation to other states. The continuing disputes in the South China Sea China’s accentuate Chinas increasing military power. In line with these events, in 2011, the Obama Administration addressed their new foreign policy towards Asia. This involved a strengthening of the position of the United States in Asia. It was also largely perceived as a way of US balancing against a rising China. These events form the context in which the research of this thesis will take place. The question this thesis will try to answer is: How has the US pivot to Asia during the Obama administration affected China’s regional hegemonic aspirations in case of the South China Sea disputes? In order to provide an answer to this question, the theory of hegemonic stability will be applied.Show less
This thesis examines the recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea disputes. Is China carrying out a neorealist approach regarding its interests in the South China Sea while ignoring...Show moreThis thesis examines the recent Chinese actions in the South China Sea disputes. Is China carrying out a neorealist approach regarding its interests in the South China Sea while ignoring international laws and norms? Examining the current international laws, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, shows that China has little interest in observing them. If power or security is what the PRC is interested in, the actions taken should be able to demonstrate that, which is what this paper seeks to explain through the lens of neorealism. Natural resources are a negligible factor in the current actions of China, they are mostly focused on constructing defences in what is known as the doctrine of Island Chains and pushing any possible future war further away from the Chinese mainland. Chinese actions in the South China Sea are driven by the security dilemma in which the US features as the primary antagonist. Recognizing the neorealist approach of China's interests is key to understanding why China won't stop its actions regardless of US pressure.Show less
