Chinese Foreign Relations: Power and Policy Since the Cold War (3rd Edition)
Robert G. Sutter
Language: English
Pages: 447
ISBN: B00Y34462C
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
China is rightly considered an emerging power in world affairs as Chinese leaders, backed by growing economic and military strength, engage in innovative diplomatic approaches that pave the way for China's international role. But this is only part of the story of China s rise. As Robert G. Sutter shows in this meticulous and balanced assessment, the record of twists and turns in Chinese foreign relations since the end of the Cold War highlights a very different perspective. Domestic problems, nationalism, and security concerns continue to preoccupy Beijing, complicating China's influence and innovations in foreign affairs. On the international front, the actions of other powerful nations and growing dependence on the world economy complicate as well as enhance China s advance to international prominence. Newly revised, this edition features more extensive treatment of China s role in the international economy and greater discussion of its relations with the developing world. Providing a comprehensive introduction to Chinese foreign relations, Sutter shows Chinese leaders exerting growing influence in world affairs but remaining far from dominant. Facing numerous contradictions and trade-offs, they move cautiously to avoid major confrontations, costly commitments, or mistakes that could undermine their one-party rule as they deal with an international environment posing numerous challenges as well as opportunities for Chinese interests."
fostered interchange, and even if they did not always promote positive feelings, they probably promoted more realistic mutual perceptions. • Few if any governments active in Asian affairs benefited from or sought to promote greater Sino–Japanese friction. This included the Bush administration, which was careful to balance its strong pro-Japanese slant with reaffirmation of continued interest in closer mutually beneficial relations with China designed in part to sustain regional peace and
future CCP rule. These specialists and I feel that the Chinese leaders view regional and international status and leadership as secondary in importance to these domestic issues. 17 11_517_Sutter.indb 17 12/15/11 7:36 AM 18 Chapter 2 THE EVOLUTION OF CHINESE PRIORITIES AFTER THE COLD WAR The end of the Cold War saw the weakening and collapse of Soviet military power, which markedly improved China’s overall security situation. For the first time, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) was not
nuclear weapons program. At the same time, Beijing is reluctant to follow the U.S. lead and apply significant pressure on North Korea. Many specialists argue that China would work against any U.S. effort to use force or serious economic pressure against North Korea because China has a much stronger interest than the United States in preserving North Korea as a viable state and avoiding the disruption that greater pressure on Pyongyang would cause.63 The interface of U.S. and Chinese military
Relations with Southern Asia and Central Asia 237 11 Relations with Russia and Europe 267 v 11_517_Sutter.indb v 12/15/11 7:36 AM vi Contents 12 Relations with the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America 295 13 Prospects 337 Notes 345 Selected Bibliography 409 Index 427 About the Author 435 11_517_Sutter.indb vi 12/15/11 7:36 AM Acknowledgments The third edition of this volume was undertaken with the strong support of Susan McEachern, editorial director of history,
Rouge resistance in Cambodia and for governments in Pakistan, Iran, Syria, and Libya that were associated with terrorist activities. China also provided some aid to the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Even after the September 11, 2001, attack, China continued strong and constructive involvement with terrorist-harboring regimes, such as Sudan, Iran, and Syria.37 The Chinese government was anxious to advance relations with the George W. Bush administration and viewed the attacks of September 11,