China’s projects aim not only to compete with the US but also to bring about positive change

This research looks at how China is becoming more influential in the world through projects like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). It shows that China’s approach is not just about challenging or supporting the current global system but a mix of both. China aims to work with the existing global rules while also trying to improve them, making the system fairer and more inclusive. This means that China’s projects are not just about competing with the United States but also about making positive changes.

The paper also highlights that the success of China’s projects depends a lot on the involvement of other countries, especially those that are still developing like the Philippines. These countries play a big role in shaping how China’s international efforts turn out. Overall, this research helps us understand China’s complex and balanced role in global affairs, showing that its rise could both be about cooperation and competition, and how the active participation of many countries could actually shape the nature of China’s rise.

In this paper, I explore the existing literature on the subject hence providing a more nuanced view of China’s rise in global governance. I find that existing studies tend to move beyond the traditional binary view of China as either a revisionist power or a status quo supporter thus highlighting the dual nature of China’s overall strategy when it comes to international institutions as it seeks to combine both cooperative and competitive elements.

Theoretically, this paper could provide additional insights to the study of China’s International Institutions by integrating perspectives on power transition, norm development, and the influence of third-party stakeholders. This underscores the current tendency within the IR literature of challenging conventional realist interpretations, incorporating constructivist elements that emphasize norms, identities, and status aspirations. For policymakers, my research suggests that China’s institutions are not solely designed to undermine the U.S.-led order but also to reform and complement it. This understanding can lead to more strategic engagement with China, promoting cooperative initiatives while managing competitive aspects peacefully. I emphasize how China’s approach to global governance involves addressing deficits within the current liberal order and promoting new norms of fairness and justice, leading to more inclusive and equitable international institutions.

Likewise, the significant influence of partner countries and third-party stakeholders in shaping China’s multilateral institutions is also a key focus of this paper, suggesting that the success and direction of China’s international institutions depend not only on China’s strategies but also on the active engagement of other countries, particularly developing nations. My research opens avenues for further exploration into the interplay between major power status aspirations and the agency of third-party stakeholders, providing deeper insights into the evolving nature of global governance and the international order. In summary, my work offers a comprehensive and balanced review of China’s role in international institutions, emphasizing the complexity and multifaceted nature of its rise in global governance.

Author: Enrico Gloria (Tsinghua University | University of the Philippines Diliman)

Read the full paper: https://doi.org/10.59588/2350-8329.1530

Photo credit: SW1994 via Pixabay