East Asian Security Order and China's Policies on the Islands Disputes(2010-2015)

Abstract

This thesis aims to analyse China's policies on maritime territorial disputes with its neighbours from 2010 to 2015. The main research question is how changes in the security order in East Asia influence China's policy regarding the territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the Diaoyu (Senkaku) islands. China's policies on the islands disputes since 2010 reveal two features. On the one hand, Beijing's policy shows its assertiveness. On the other hand, it is constrained. What may account for these two perspectives? Scholars disagree on how to characterize and understand China's policy. The central argument of this thesis is that changes in the security order can account for Beijing's policies. The security order should be understood from three perspectives: material factors, institutions, and norms. Whereas scholars tend to emphasize just one of these factors, each contributes to understanding the dual nature of China's policy as assertive and constrained. From the perspective of material power, China's rising power lead to its assertive actions on the sea. But the presence of the United States constrain China's policies from going further. From the institutional perspective, regional Institutions prompted by ASEAN regulate China's actions to be peaceful and bilateral dialogues and international law work to constrain China's actions on the islands disputes. But, these institutions can also be instruments for Beijing to assert its proclaims in the South China Sea and the Diaoyu (Senkaku) islands. As for norms, the norm of sovereignty can lead to an assertive policy; but the norm of peaceful resolution moderates Beijing's policy. The originality of this research lies in three folds. Firstly, this thesis can contribute to a comprehensive understanding of China's policies on the islands disputes. Secondly, it uses the analytical eclecticism of the three perspectives to analyse the security order and a state's policies on the islands disputes. Thirdly, it bridges the gap between China's policies toward island disputes and the contemporary security order in East Asia in a comprehensive manner. Initially this research will put forward a conception of security order and examine the how security order influences a rising state's policy on territorial disputes. It will illustrate the history of security order in East Asia and then a general situation of contemporary security order in East Asia. The thesis will then provide four case studies of China's policies regarding the maritime territorial disputes. Each will be analysed separately to justify the theory proposed in the previous chapters.