U3 AOS2 Pt 1

Question 1

Define pragmatism

Answer 1

School of though in which foreign policy is influenced above all else by practical considerations, as opposed to moral principles.

Question 2

Define idealism

Answer 2

School of though in which foreign policy is influenced above all else by moral principle, as opposed to practical considerations.

Question 3

China’s cultivation of soft/cultural power in Africa

Answer 3

Offers cheaper TV
→ CGTV claims accounts for 10/24mil pay TV subs
→ CGTV plays in halls of Afr U

Education/scholarships
2003 2K → 2018 80K Afr students studying in Ch
Ch govt = largest prov of scholarships for Sfr students to study abroad (16%)

Impact: positive
→ 63% Afr view Ch influence on Afr as somewhat/very pos
→ 4 Afr st adopt Ch’s dev model

Question 4

China’s (failed) cultivation of soft/cultural power in Western states thru CIs

Answer 4

2019 530 CIs across 6 continents
→ 100mil non-Ch learning Mandarin

Impact: none + possibly negative bc SOFT POWER DEFICIT

2019 Aus launch investigation in CIs = poss violation of anti-foreign interference laws
→ NSW end all CIs + similar cases in US, UK, Fr + Den

2019 HR Watch Report condemn Ch for censoring pol topics (Tibet + Taiwan) + hiring based on party loyalty

2015 50% Aus prefer econ ties w Ch → 2021 31%
meanwhile 2015 27% prefer econ ties w US → 2021 59%
similar trend in SK while gap has simply widened in J + Ca polls

Question 5

How has China used diplomacy?

Answer 5

1. pursue EP → trade deals
   - Sep 2015 Xi invite Park to Ch mil parade @ TS → FTA Dec 2015
   - 2019 Abe visit Ch → $2.6bn trade deals (but spokesperson say monitoring HR situation)
2. pursue RR → regional hegemon
   - Oct 2016 Duterte visit Ch → announce ‘separation’ from US + ‘I’ve realigned myself in your ideological flow’
   - Xi 5 meeting w Kim Mar 2018-July 2018 (bookend Moon + Trump) → NK prop depict Xi in gold circle surrounded by red during July 2019 visit
3. pursue NS → sov claims + domestic image
   - Oct 2016 Duterte visit Ch → ignores UNCLOS ruling + cancels visit to contested isl
   - Nov 2020 Ch give Aus list of 14 grievances
4. pursue IS → gain legit thru rel w other st
   - Sep 2015 Xi invite Park to Ch mil parade @ TS → show willingness to overlook HR record

Question 6

Xi’s interpretation of EP - “common prosperity”

Answer 6

Interpretation:
inc govt control over SOEs + redist $ to low-mid classes

Rationale:
wealth disparity
- inc wealth disp = wealthiest 1% own 30.6% of nat $ vs 20.9% 20 yrs ago
- 600mil ppl live on income $154/mo = X enough to rent in mid-sized cities
“peaceful rise” = unsus → need “peace thru strength”
- econ growth peak 2007 15% but in 6%s since 2014
- 2020-35 Ch lose 70 mil working-age adults + gain 130mil sr citizens → x3 age related spending by 2050
- wages inc 10% every yr since 2005 → MC expectation that this will cont → need to shift narr
Policy implications:
→ BRI primarily orchestrated by SOEs = success bc 2017 Ch construction activity = x6 of aid spent ($958mil)
→ govt fund 40% Xinhua → 11.7mil twitter followers despite twitter ban

Question 7

Liu He’s interpretation of EP - “peaceful rise”

Answer 7

Interpretation:
cont element of freedom in bus sector bc priv enterprise = instrumental to Ch’s econ success before

Rationale:
Success of “peaceful rise”
- GDP grow 10%+ every yr 1978-2014
- 1978 90% below pov line → <1% 2014 (800mil ppl lifted out of extreme pov)
- priv sector responsible for 60% GDP + 70% tech innovation

Inefficiency of SOEs:
- 50% corp debt but 22% GDP

Policy implications
→ cont open econ

(not current dominating interpretation)

Question 8

Evaluate use of military power

Answer 8

A/t mil power = v successful at achieving idealistic goals but detrimental LT to prag goals
1. Taiwan
- 2017 1600 ballistic missiles in TS
- 2021 950 air incursions = x2 2020
- Oct 2021 149 aircraft in strike formation on Nat Dat Wkend
success = project ‘strong china’ image bc clear link to nationalism = good for NS BUT Tsai X recog 1992 Consensus = risks tacit trade rel + US $5.1bn arms deals w T 2020 = tangible NS risk

2. Japan/ECS
   - 2013 est ADIZ
   - 2021 Ch CG auth to control foreign vessels/use weapons → approach + pursue J fishing vessels
   success = appear to have EC over SI = good for domestic image BUT invited x2 US B52 bombers Nov 2013 + 2019 $2.6bn bus deal = contingent on “stability in the ECS”