| Review of: | China's rise and the balance of influence in Asia edited by William W. Keller, Thomas G. Rawski |
|---|---|
| Reviewed By: | Marc Lanteigne |
| Reviewed in: | International Affairs |
| Date accepted online: | 10/04/2008 |
| Published in print: | Volume 83, Issue 06, Pages 1193-1234 |
Book Reviews: Asia and Pacific
With the idea of China as a rising power now considered a given in foreign policy studies, it becomes increasingly important to examine the 'how' and the 'why' behind Beijing's rapid development as well as the 'what'. This collection distinguishes itself not only by its updated scrutiny of the major factors behind China's growth, including economic reform, political and strategic power, and the country's increasingly professional diplomacy, but also by its views on other areas less covered in the study of modern Chinese foreign policy, including technological and institutional diplomacy.
The first half of this book is devoted to the economic dimensions of China's rise, and includes a chapter by William Keller and Louis Pauly on the country's developing high-technology sector and its diplomatic effects, using the case-study of China's semiconductor industry, underlining Beijing's determination to prosper within the established global economic system rather than seeking to upset the status quo. Other chapters in this section look at a wider spectrum of economic and trade issues and also stress Chinese conservatism, including a chapter by Ellen Frost on 'commercial diplomacy', namely how China's about-face on liberalized trade agreements in the past decade, from wariness to enthusiastic support, has given China a variety of new diplomatic tools in East and South-East Asia. The increasing number of preferential trade agreements which Beijing has sought in recent years has galvanized much economic activity in Asia but has also raised the question of whether the United States is being slowly leveraged out of Asian economic and political development. In addition, Joseph Fewsmith adroitly examines the delicate game being played by Beijing as it seeks economic reform but not to the point where the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party comes under threat.
The book's more varied second half delves into more traditional questions related to the rise of China, including the country's new strategic interests and the question of whether Beijing can truly rise 'peacefully' as its foreign policy speeches have advocated. Among these chapters, the one by Robert Ross moves furthest into the area of hard security questions, asking how China's regional power growth will be addressed by its Asian neighbours, noting that some actors such as South Korea will choose to accommodate China's new role and others, like Japan, may seek to balance Beijing's growing power. Adam Segal's contribution looks at how China's economic power has translated into a more kinetic policy of influence, especially in the case of Taiwan. Within the conclusion, the editors attempt a deconstruction of China's foreign policy of 'peaceful rise', the idea that unlike previous Great Powers China's journey to the upper-tier of the international hierarchy will be non-confrontational and respectful of the status quo. Finally, they argue that whether 'peaceful rise' will become a reality will depend not only on Beijing but also on Washington. The authors also warn that many international actors will have to make adjustments, and that China's successful growth 'presupposes the recognition and acceptance of unpleasant realities on all sides' (p. 204).
This work as a whole emphasizes the economic nature of China's rise more so than other issues including security dimensions, which some scholars of the country's developing great power politics might view as a deficiency. However, the book succeeds in illustrating that many factors, often overlapping, are driving Chinese growth in the international system. Those seeking reasoned insights behind all the catchphrases surrounding China's rise will be well served by this book.