TY - UNPB

T1 - China in search of ‘legitimate’ great power intervention

AU - Sørensen, Camilla T. N.

N1 - ThinkChina.dk - athink tank on Denmark and China

PY - 2016/1/18

Y1 - 2016/1/18

N2 - Due to Beijing’s expanding global role and interests, it is no longer possible for China to follow its traditional ‘lay low’ [tao guang yang hui] strategy and the traditional rather strict interpretation of the principle of non-intervention. Consequently, there is among Chinese International Relations scholars an intense debate on how China can protect and promote Chinese global presence and interests while at the same time continue to ‘stay within’ the principle of non-intervention. New concepts and approaches are developing as the debate progresses. An important example is the growing emphasis on the distinction between ‘intervention’ [ganyu] and ‘interference’ [ganshe] in the Chinese diplomatic rhetoric and toolbox. Several Chinese International Relations scholars hence stress that while ‘non-intervention’ continues to characterize the Chinese foreign and security policy approach, then Beijing to a higher degree and also more proactively has started to interfere in developments and conflicts in other states and in the international system. The current Chinese foreign and security policy reflects a more flexible and pragmatic Chinese interpretation – and implementation – of the principle of non-intervention. This paper further examines the search for ‘legitimate’ great power intervention characterizing both the debate among Chinese International Relations scholars and the current Chinese foreign and security policy.

AB - Due to Beijing’s expanding global role and interests, it is no longer possible for China to follow its traditional ‘lay low’ [tao guang yang hui] strategy and the traditional rather strict interpretation of the principle of non-intervention. Consequently, there is among Chinese International Relations scholars an intense debate on how China can protect and promote Chinese global presence and interests while at the same time continue to ‘stay within’ the principle of non-intervention. New concepts and approaches are developing as the debate progresses. An important example is the growing emphasis on the distinction between ‘intervention’ [ganyu] and ‘interference’ [ganshe] in the Chinese diplomatic rhetoric and toolbox. Several Chinese International Relations scholars hence stress that while ‘non-intervention’ continues to characterize the Chinese foreign and security policy approach, then Beijing to a higher degree and also more proactively has started to interfere in developments and conflicts in other states and in the international system. The current Chinese foreign and security policy reflects a more flexible and pragmatic Chinese interpretation – and implementation – of the principle of non-intervention. This paper further examines the search for ‘legitimate’ great power intervention characterizing both the debate among Chinese International Relations scholars and the current Chinese foreign and security policy.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - China, Foreign policy, Non-intervention

M3 - Working paper

T3 - ThinkChina Working Paper

BT - China in search of ‘legitimate’ great power intervention

PB - ThinkChina.dk

CY - Copenhagen

ER -