Abstract
China’s more assertive policy in the East and South East Asia region since 2008 has been explained either in terms of its rising power, a belief that the United States is in decline, or even the complexities of the Chinese state’s bureaucratic political structures. This article suggests another explanation – namely that China’s more assertive strategy is an attempt to shore up legitimacy at home at a time of increasing domestic stress.
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Notes
A translation and a video clip of Xi Jinping’s speech are available here: http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2009/02/xi-jinping-%E4%B9%A0%E8%BF%91%E5%B9%B3-on-foreigners-pointing-fingers-at-china-with-video/
An introduction by Abe himself to this under-reported foreign policy idea could be found at: http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/a-strategic-alliance-for-japan-and-india-by-shinzo-abe
References
The Wall Street Journal. (2011) Many rich Chinese consider leaving. The Wall Street Journal 2 November.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies. (2013) China’s defense spending: New questions. In: Strategic Comments. Vol. 19, Comment 22.
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This article is based on a talk given at the LSE China Conference, Beijing, 15 August 2013.
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Zhang, J. The domestic sources of China’s more assertive foreign policy. Int Polit 51, 390–397 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1057/ip.2014.11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/ip.2014.11