The war between Russia and Ukraine that started in 2022 came as a shock to most of the world. While the war is still in progress, attempts to prosecute the aggressor have already been set in motion...Show moreThe war between Russia and Ukraine that started in 2022 came as a shock to most of the world. While the war is still in progress, attempts to prosecute the aggressor have already been set in motion. The crime of aggression, which refers to Russia initiating the war, currently falls outside of the prosecuting options within international law. Therefore, the idea was created to set up an ad-hoc criminal tribunal to prosecute Russia’s high officials for starting the war. This thesis examines the factors that influenced the Dutch government’s offer to host a potential criminal tribunal to hold Russia accountable for the crime of aggression. Government documents, policy reports and literature on the interplay between international law and international relations were analysed and provided a basis for the semistructured interviews. The interviews with government officials and professors in international law and foreign policy show that there are multiple factors that influenced this offer. It was found there is a strong relationship between the history of the Netherlands and the foreign policy identity that exists today. The focus on accountability and the fight against impunity strongly influenced the Netherlands’ commitment to aiding the international community, by focussing on their specialty: hosting an international tribunal. The most important factor that could be identified which influenced the offer is the aspiration of the Netherlands to project a foreign policy identity that is linked to hosting international tribunals.Show less
In recent years, the People’s Republic of China’s power has increased globally. However, China still experiences issues in relation to its soft power, which can be described as a country’s ability...Show moreIn recent years, the People’s Republic of China’s power has increased globally. However, China still experiences issues in relation to its soft power, which can be described as a country’s ability to attract and appeal through which one is able to persuade and get what they wish for. This recently has led to a deterioration of several of China’s bilateral relations, yet the Dutch government has expressed a desire to continue close cooperation with China. The 2019 Netherlands’ China policy calls for a more nuanced view of China and states that the Netherlands should cooperate with China where possible, while safeguarding the Netherlands interests and values. As China seems to have soft power issues within Western Europe, it can be questioned whether the policy actually aligns with the general perception of China within the Netherlands, as this alignment is generally expected within a democracy. In order to determine whether this is the case, a qualitative descriptive study has been conducted and a Dutch media content analysis has been performed. Research findings indicated that, while China was generally perceived negatively within the media and public opinion, the Netherlands’ China policy was much more neutral. Conclusions that can be drawn from these findings are that government policies may not necessarily reflect public opinion and that soft power might not actually be as important as frequently is assumed. Furthermore, it indicates that it might not be as important for a country like China to have soft power amongst the general public, as to be positively perceived within a country’s government.Show less
