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| 1 |
ID:
170698
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| Summary/Abstract |
This article examines the link between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Duterte Administration’s appeasement policy on China. Relative to the South China Sea dispute, China uses the BRI as a means to ease and stabilize its strained relations with claimant countries like the Philippines. The BRI has enabled China to influence the Philippines in changing its policy on Chinese maritime expansion in the South China Sea. Lured by the BRI, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is undoing his predecessor’s policy of balancing China’s expansive claim in the disputed waters. Based on his calculation, the Philippines will benefit from the BRI initiative—particularly in the revival of the maritime silk route—as it dovetails with his administration’s massive infrastructure build-up program. In conclusion, the article contends that President Duterte is convinced that his appeasement policy toward China is worth pursuing because it makes the Philippines a beneficiary of the BRI. However, 3 years into his term, he has yet to see the implementation of BRI-funded infrastructure projects, which have been delayed by technical problems, the Philippine military, and the Filipino people’s distrust of China because of the South China Sea issue in particular, and its behavior as emergent power in East Asia in general.
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| 2 |
ID:
170699
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| Summary/Abstract |
Nationalist discourse has long been an important apparatus in modern politics. This paper showed a sharp, yet subtle departure of the Chinese government in its current manipulation of nationalism. Instead of the hardcore revolutionary rhetoric, the new phase of nationalist discourse incorporated many elements of Confucianism to better consolidate the communist regime. Using the 2015 military parade as an example, this paper analyzed how the Chinese central government evoked sentiments and consciousness of nationalism by utilizing and interweaving Confucianism elements of family value, benevolent (Ren), propriety (Li), equilibrium, and harmony into the party-state’s official nationalist discourse. Significance of such organized endeavors in political discourse is discussed.
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| 3 |
ID:
170695
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| Summary/Abstract |
The article seeks to explain why Singapore—a high-income, developed economy that does not require massive external financing or technical assistance for domestic infrastructure building—has repeatedly endorsed Belt-and-Road Initiative (BRI) and cooperated in related projects. Given the city-state’s exceptionally high degree of economic openness and hence dependence on international trade, it argues that Singapore’s support for BRI is driven primarily by its quest for strategic relevance. Lacking natural resources and an economic hinterland, the small trading state has pursued state-guided development, establishing itself as a key regional and global trading hub. Singapore’s economic goals thus correspond to BRI’s objective of improving Eurasian connectivity and strengthening trade and investment ties. At the same time, however, the city-state is also pursuing a hedging strategy vis-à-vis China. Singapore seeks to ensure no one major power dictates the economic terms in the region. The city-state hence seeks to both socialize Beijing in the norms of the existing regional architecture through engagement, while also emphasizing economic relations with other countries, especially the USA. Unlike most of China’s other BRI partners, Singapore is not a recipient of investments, but rather a case of “reverse BRI flow”: Singapore is investing in the development of China’s western region, especially Chongqing. Singapore’s support for BRI is likely to continue, even though the state may encounter obstacles along the way, such as the need to manage the effects of growing Sino-US rivalry.
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| 4 |
ID:
170696
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| Summary/Abstract |
Given systemic anarchy, small states like Vietnam have two basic foreign policy options: (1) align closely with one great power or (2) maintain a hedging posture. The choice between alignment and hedging for small states generally represents a trade-off between survival and autonomy and is mostly predicated on the action of relevant great powers. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is particularly important in this case, as it could be the key factor deciding Vietnam’s overall posture toward China over the long term. While China’s expansionist behavior in the South China Sea has pushed Vietnam toward alignment with the USA, the BRI, if implemented successfully, could convince Vietnam that maintaining the default hedging position is the best option
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| 5 |
ID:
170697
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| Summary/Abstract |
This article examines Cambodia’s backing of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Having explored bilateral historical ties, the author concludes that Cambodia has pursued a bandwagoning policy with China for most of its post-colonial period since 1953. At present, Cambodia’s bandwagoning policy with China has been manifested in the former’s support of the latter’s initiative. It begs a question as to why the kingdom has enthusiastically supported it. The article elucidates the motives behind Cambodia’s bandwagoning policy on BRI applying John Spanier’s three level of analytical framework. First, on the systemic level, it argues that China’s bid to expand its influence, the change of balance of power in Southeast Asia, and the clean competition for influence between China and Japan in the Mekong Region have affected Cambodia’s policy decision on the BRI. Second, at the nation-state level of analysis, Cambodia perceives BRI as another funding source of infrastructure projects, and a means to achieve its policy goal of becoming an economic hub in the region and to whip up domestic support of the ruling party. Finally, on the decision-making level, the backing of the BRI may stem from Prime Minister Hun Sen’s pragmatic views of how to sustain his rule over the country. He might have viewed that economic growth would help to strengthen his ruling. The analysis concludes by identifying some negative repercussions Cambodia has encountered as a result of her support of the BRI.
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