The Socialization of China’s Assertiveness: Examining Waltz’s Neorealist Mechanism of “Socialization” in China’s Regional Security Relations

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (04) ◽  
pp. 1940009
Author(s):  
WILLIAM NORRIS

This is a study of learning and socialization in China’s foreign security policy, examining how China has at times been more assertive and in other instances has taken a more accommodating approach in its foreign security policy behavior. This paper argues that China has been “socialized” by its international security environment by exploring Kenneth Waltz’s theoretical mechanism of the “socialization” of states in the international system. The 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait Crisis and the early 2000s, the Senkaku/Diaoyutai crises from 2012 to 2015, and the South China Sea in the mid-1990s are all instances in which China has employed force only to suffer strategically. This has eventually led to a less confrontational posture and contributed to the pursuit of a more cooperative engagement strategy with both Southeast Asia (from 1998 to 2008) and Taiwan ([Formula: see text]2006–2016). Variations in China’s assertiveness can be explained by the combination of domestic politics and signals from China’s international security environment.

Author(s):  
Nazariah Osman ◽  
Debendra Mahalik

The international system becomes conscious of striving for a new security structure in the world, moving away from archaic Cold War paradigms. The modern states are engaged in a process of dialogue and discussion with their friends and partners to help shape a new security environment free of confrontation and strain. India's security cooperation with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) can also include this theme. The nature of the global village has made it necessary to tackle even non-military issues of security in a comprehensive manner in general and those of the region of South and Southeast Asia in particular. India-ASEAN convergence of security interest is not only of great strategic importance for the Southeast Asian region but also for Asian security as a whole. This chapter attempts to view ASEAN-Indian security relations from the perspective of India's ‘Look East Policy' and ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) for regional peace and stability. The present chapter outlines three looming aspects which shaped the outlook for India-ASEAN current security relations: a) complex geo-strategic and security interdependence in the case of conventional security; b) securitisation of non-conventional security threats through institutional mechanisms; c) cooperative security imperative for ‘Greater Asian' security through multilateral engagement. By highlighting current security challenges, this chapter also attempts to look at the possible policy approaches that India and ASEAN may have to adopt so that their security cooperation is not merely sustained but also evolves further into a credible pillar of regional security engagement within the Asian setting.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Arfin Sudirman

The South China Sea conflict has been a highly sensitive issue for the last 5 years in ASEAN. China and the US have been using the South China Sea as the New Cold War Arena of power and military hegemonic competition in the South East Asia region. This has been a major challenge for ASEAN as the only regional organization in the South East Asia region that has direct in the area must take major role in managing and resolving the dispute peacefully even though ASEAN has no defense pact like NATO. This paper argues that ASEAN, at this moment, must maintain its role as a mediator and independent-negotiator in the region but at the same time apply its principle of gradually adapting with the new international system. This article also suggests that in the future, ASEAN can take a major role in the governance of the South China Sea and the South East Asia region.


Author(s):  
O. G. Paramonov

In the face of deteriorating the regional security environment in East Asia, a noticeable growth of Japan’s defense capabilities and Tokyo’s departure from most self-restraints in the field of security policy look quite expected and natural process. At the same time, Japan continues to rely on the alliance with the United States. On the other hand, relations between Washington and Moscow are now at their lowest point since the Cold War. Japan itself has territorial claims to Russia. This means, based on confrontational logic that returns to the international agenda, that Japan’s traditionally reserved attitude towards Russia should be maintained. However, today we are witnessing a different situation. After the start of regular personal meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the dialogue is intensified on a wide range of issues, including those related to international security, and especially its regional aspect. Although certain background for that was noted before the Sochi meeting between V. Putin and S. Abe, this foreign policy turn, and, in particular, its speed, came as a surprise not only for Tokyo’s Western partners, but also for many Japanese politicians and experts. This article is devoted to the analysis of its possible causes, as well as the search for an answer to the next question.Is the dialogue between Russia and Japan a situational political maneuver or a step towards cooperation on security issues?


2019 ◽  
pp. 133-145
Author(s):  
Alika GUCHUA

The issue of the international security has become more pressing actual in 21st century due to the appearance of new dangers and challenges in the modern world, which were not typical for the previous century. On the background of geopolitical transition, the role of strategic offensive arms and weapons of mass destruction has become more important. In the modern world, it is important to maintain strategic parity on arms when global challenges pose a serious threat to all humanity. In this paper, we discussed the reasons for the cancellation of the Treaty on the Elimination of intermediate-range and short-range missiles of 1987 and the dangers that are threatening the world. The USA and Russia have officially announced that they are starting modernizing and producing ballistic missiles and what is more important, their policies are forcing other countries to produce similar arms. The paper focuses on the security environment of the Baltic, Adriatic and Black Sea regions, the dangers that resulted from the cancellation of the abovementioned agreement. The Politics of Strategic Bullying in the Bipolar Era, the “Cold War” phenomenon and geopolitical processes of New Cold War is also discussed in this paper. Also, discussing the role of strategic offensive arms and defining NATO's role in ensuring international security has an important place in this paper.


Author(s):  
Veaceslav Ungureanu ◽  

The research of the fundamental problem for ensuring the institutional resilience of the national security of the Republic of Moldova during the COVID-19 pandemic consists of the analysis of the geopolitical coordinate of the international events that determines the process of transforming the regional and international security environment. COVID-19 pandemic phenomenon can be considered a multi-dimensional global crisis in which the foreign policy actions of the great powers and regional powers have intensified in order to influence the reconfiguration of the geopolitical architecture of the international security system and the security complex structure in different regions of the world. The main idea of the subject proposed for scientific examination consists of investigating the impact of the geopolitical context of the regional security environment during the global pandemic generated by the new type of COVID-19 Coronavirus on the process of ensuring national security of the Republic of Moldova. Profifi ling fifi rst the examination of the political-military cooperation relations between the Republic Moldova and the North Atlantic Alliance, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to the elucidation of the opportunities provided by the Alliance to increase the level of the institutional resilience of the national security and defense system of the Republic of Moldova, which needs further substantial support of the development partners, by ensuring the adjustment of the national security components to the Euro-Atlantic standards that will strengthen the capability and interoperability degree in the national security and defense field, thus discouraging possible menaces and counteracting current risks and threats.


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lassi Heininen

Abstract Stability and decrease of military tension are relevant in the new Northern order which replaced the confrontation of the Cold War period. This was a conscious choice by the Arctic states. In the international system with constant regional wars and the fight against terrorism this is an achievement – it would be possible to have another kind of order. In the 2010s this order is in a test, when the Arctic and its natural resources, as well as options to them, have become a target of growing global interest. The ongoing multifunctional change and geopolitical shift from a periphery into global has also meant changes in Arctic security environment and governance: Stability is not threatened by the military presence and the deployed nuclear weapon systems but more by rapid climate change and its environmental and socio-economic impacts. Everyday security of the people is threatened. Energy security has become a new discourse of Northern security. The strategic position of the region’s natural resources may create new tension, and economic and political competition. Followed from this, and concentrating on Arctic security, there are new dimensions and challenges, which require new and more global political responses. This article opens with a brief, theoretical discussion on how security is (re)defined, and how different security concepts are implemented. Second, it describes and defines a state of Arctic security by using three methods. Finally, the article studies and discusses national strategies and policies of the Arctic states regarding how they (re)define security and respond to the global and regional security challenges.


Author(s):  
Izabela Bojko

Rated both positively and negatively, Shinzō Abe has achieved a lot as prime minister. He contributed to a new perception of Japan in the international arena. During the eight years of his rule in power, his administration carried out reforms aimed at better coordination of security policy, strengthened the position of the prime minister in this field, and increased the involvement of the SDF in ensuring security. They resulted primarily from changes taking place in its security environment: the development of North Korea's missile and nuclear program, the assertive attitude of the People's Republic of China, and an increase in arms spending and the intensification of Chinese military activity in the region (around the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands and in the South China Sea). The article aims to analyze the changes in the security policy introduced during the rule of Shinzō Abe in the internal aspect.


Author(s):  
Sukalpa Chakrabarti

The geopolitical importance of the Arctic is intensifying with the economic and strategic opportunities being unraveled in the wake of the impact of climate change. The chapter analyses the actors and the factors affecting the current security relations in the region and recommends the creation of a regional security architecture (RSA) to deal with the emerging conflict potential of the Arctic. Through the establishment of an effective RSA for the Arctic, the prime objective of building a security environment that protects the region and promotes sustainable economic growth will be achieved. The chapter has been conceptualized under the broad theme of security studies while drawing specifically from the constructivist-structuralist framework of the regional security complex theory (RSCT).


Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
Moria Bar-Maoz

This article offers, for the first time, a theoretical model of religion’s influence on the formulation and execution of national security policies. To build this model, it analyses the influence of religion on Israel’s national security policymaking—before and after Israel’s security environment went through a process of religionization beginning in the 1970s. The article proposes that religion’s effect on national security policymaking is comprised of three tiers that follow one another in the decision making sequence and, yet, are independent from one another: (1) operational beliefs embedded in the state’s security thinking on the relations between religion and security; (2) opportunities and constraints on the state’s freedom of action, due to the role religion plays in global, regional and domestic politics as well as bilateral relations; and (3) governmental utilization of religion to realize national security goals. At its conclusion, the article demonstrates that the model is applicable to other countries as well, using the case of France’s policies in the 21st century.


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