China as a Rising World Power and its Response to ‘Globalization’

Abstract

The People's Republic of China is the first developing state to become a world power. Within a relatively short time frame, China has had to carve out a new role for itself and to define its responsibilities as an influential state both at the regional and international levels. Within this time frame, however, China has also had to cope with the liabilities and opportunities of ‘globalization’. In meeting this challenge, the Chinese have demonstrated a new penchant for multilateralism even as they have adapted to the realities of the balance of power. This contribution discusses the Chinese policy adaptation to new-found power within the context of globalization. This study also introduces this special volume's related range of scholarly opinion on this central theme on the part of a number of very well-known China experts who are engaged in related research in the different disciplines of social science.

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for related funding.

Notes

Dr. Ronald C. Keith is currently Professor of the Department of Political Science at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Related research assistance was provided by Xu Kai. The University of Calgary provided research funding.

See King C. Chen (ed.), China and the Three Worlds (White Plains, New York: M.E. Sharpe, 1979), passim; and also R.C. Keith, ‘The Origins and Strategic Implications of China's “Independent Foreign Policy”’, International Journal, Vol. xli, No. 1 (Winter 1985–86), pp. 115–17.

Samuel S. Kim, ‘Mainland China in a Changing Asia-Pacific Regional Order’, Issues and Studies, Vol. 30, No. 10 (Oct. 1994), p. 5.

Pang Zhongying, ‘People's Observations: China's International Status and Foreign Strategy after the Cold War’, Renmin wang (People's outlook) May 5, 2002, FBIS-CHI-2002–0506, pp. 8–9, 13.

Jiang Zemin's May 9, 2001 speech to the Hong Kong Fortune Global Forum as cited in R.C. Keith, ‘Strategic Ambiguity and the New Bush Administration's “China Threat”’, The Review of International Affairs, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Winter 2001), p. 17. For an interesting critique of US failure to honor its own values of equality and mutual respect in international relations, see Wang Yusheng, ‘Is this the Term of “Mutual Respect” Defined in the American Dictionary’, Waijiao jikan (Foreign Affairs Journal), No. 64 (June 2002), pp. 68–71.

Li Zhongjie, ‘Our Country Needs an International Strategy at a Higher Level – Past Erght on How to Understand and Approach the Current International Strategic Situation’, Liaowang, Aug. 2, 2002, in PBIS-CHI-2002-0813, online at http://80-wnc.fedworld.gov.ezproxy.lib … gleo3dde8w&CID=C852630615234375237730371.

See, for example, Wang Yusheng's explanations in ‘APEC, ASEM, SCO and New Security Outlook’, Foreign Affairs Journal, No. 64 (June 2002), p. 72.

Xia Yishan, ‘The Shanghai Cooperation Organization As I See [It]’, Foreign Affairs Journal, No. 61 (Sept. 2001), p. 11.

Chih-yu Shih, Interdependence, Independence and Chinese Neorealism, Working Paper No. 59 (Toronto: Joint Center for Asia-Pacific Studies, 1993), pp. 6–7.

Chen Qingxiu, ‘Jingi quanqiuhua yu biljiao youshi’, (Economic globalization and comparative advantage), Guangdong xingzhengxueyuan xuebao (Journal of Guangdong Institute of Public Administration), Vol 14, No. 4, Aug. 2002, p. 63.

He Liping, ‘The Impact of Globalization on China: An Assessment with Regard to China's Reforms and Liberalization’, World Economy and China, No. 6 (2000), p. 7.

Zhang Yijun, ‘Globalization, Multi-Polarity, Uni-Polarity and Americanization’, Foreign Affairs Journal, 2001, copied from World Economy and Politics, No. 12 (2000), p. 18.

As quoted by Zhang Yijun, ‘Economic Globalization and State Sovereignty’, Foreign Affairs Journal, No. 58 (Dec. 2000), p. 16.

Lu Yafan, ‘21 Shiji Woguo fuhe miandui jingji quanqiuhuade sikao’ (Thoughts on how China should face economic globalization in the twenty-first century), Dongbei shifan daxue xuebao (Northeastern teacher's college bulletin), No. 2 (2000), pp. 45–6.

Ibid., p. 18.

Lu Changhiu, ‘Jingji quanquiuhua yu shijie xingshi’ (Economic globalization and world conditions), Guoji wenti yanjiu (International studies), No. 2 (2002), pp. 26–7.

Gong Wen, ‘“ Bringing in” and “Going Out” Are Two Approaches to Promote Opening Up’, Renmin ribao (People's daily), FBIS, Daily Report, Dec. 7, 2002.

Zhang Yijun, ‘Economic Globalization and State Sovereignty’, p. 19.

For a related CCP defence of Deng's theories and policies, see Song Shichang and Li Ronghai, ‘Globalization and the Formation of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics’, in Zhongguo shehui kexue (Chinese social science), No. 3 (2002), pp. 106–11.

Ma Hong, ‘China's Regional Economic relations in Asia Following its Accession to the WTO’, Ta Kung Pao, April 20, 2002.

‘PRC's Liaowang Views Trend of Economic Globalization’, Beijing Liaowang, No. 40, Oct. 1, 2001, p. 40, FBIS-CHI 2001-1011, available at: http://wnc.fedworld.gov/cgibin/retriev…s201b6377&CID = C211791992187500218628891. The Renmin ribao editorialized in almost the same way about the ‘double-edged sword’. See, ‘Renmin ribao reviews WTO process, pros, cons of membership’, RMRB, 11 Nov. 2001, p. 2, in FBIS-CHI*_2001–1112, p. 11, available at http://wnc.fedworld.gov/cgibin/retriev…7d01fvvwm&CID = C211791992187500218628891.

‘WWP Editorial on Significance of Integrating PRC Economy with World through WTO’, Wen Wei Po, 11 Nov. 2001, p. 4, available at: http;://wnc.fedworld.gov/egibin/retriev…zy01y23au&CID = C2117919921875002118628891.

See, for example, Ronald C. Keith, Zhiqiu Lin and Huang Lie, ‘The Making of a Chinese NGO: A Case Study of the Research and Intervention Project on Domestic Violence’, Problems of Post Communism, Vol. 50, No. 6 (Nov./Dec. 2003).

For discussion of the ‘new security concept’, see Ronald C. Keith, The Chinese ‘New Security Concept’: The Revolution in Military Affairs, Space Weaponization and Prospective Arms Control Cooperation, International Security Research and Outreach Programme, Department of Foreign Affairs, Canada, Dec. 2002, passim.

Ibid., p. 5.

Yu Zhengliang, ‘Jingji quanqiuhua jinchengde xinshiji shijie geju’ (The new world economic structure in the midst of economic globalization), Fudan xuebao (The Fudan university bulletin), No. 1, 2000, pp. 1–2.

Ronald C. Keith, ‘Reflections on Sino-Canadian Cooperation in APEC’, Canadian Foreign Policy, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Winter 1998), pp. 189–90.

Ibid., pp. 194–5.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ronald C Keith

Dr. Ronald C. Keith is currently Professor of the Department of Political Science at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Related research assistance was provided by Xu Kai. The University of Calgary provided research funding.