International Relations

C05(a) - Global Politics in the Asia-Pacific

Date: Jun 12 | Time: 03:30pm to 05:00pm | Location: Teams (see détails/voir détails)

Chair/Président/Présidente : Vandana Bhatia (Sheridan College)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Vandana Bhatia (Sheridan College)

Teams Link | Meeting ID : 229 598 513 961 | Password: A92BPC

When Socialization Fails: Middle Powers and the Sticky Politics of Engagement with China: Michaela Pedersen-Macnab (University of Toronto)
Abstract: What causes foreign policy stasis among Middle Powers? Under what conditions will they abandon policy? We argue that Middle Powers are less susceptible to strategic policy change than Great Powers because these states benchmark their policies against their peers in patterns of mutual policy legitimation. Policy ‘stickiness’ is exacerbated in cases where the policy and its objective are inherently difficult to measure. In such cases, we find that change is made possible through deliberate institutional restructuring within the public services to create internal and inter-departmental opportunities to challenge deeply entrenched policies. We support our arguments by examining an especially puzzling instance of policy stasis: despite overwhelming evidence of policy failure, Middle Powers remain committed to proliferating engagement mechanisms to socialize China into the Liberal International Order (LIO). We leverage Canada’s China policy as the key case: Canada is typical of other Middle Powers because its engagement policy was maintained despite external shocks that demonstrated overt policy failure. However, Canada is also an outlier because it radically changed its policy approach towards China in November 2022. We draw on interviews with high-level former and current diplomats and officials central to Canada’s China policy, as well as documentary and secondary evidence from Canada, Norway, Australia and Germany. Our arguments and evidence also identify limits to the theory and strategy of socialization, particularly in defense of the LIO, and suggest a novel pathway for foreign policy change.

Regional and national effects of economic statecraft: a study of public opinion during the Sino-Australian trade war: Benjamin Toettoe (University of Montreal)
Abstract: China’s extensive economic linkages with states around the world have, in recent years, raised increasing concerns about their weaponization as economic statecraft. This has occurred in the context of intensifying US-China rivalry in a world persistently characterized by complex economic interdependence. However, studies of China’s economic coercion have largely remained centered on state-centric approaches that do not fully incorporate the importance of various domestic actors shaping state behavior. Particularly, the effects of economic statecraft on public opinion in targeted countries remain understudied despite the increasing body of literature in Foreign Policy Analysis showing that citizens’ preferences and attitudes represent a credible constraint on the foreign policies of democratic and authoritarian states alike. This article will help expand the field’s understanding of the effects of economic statecraft through a focus on public opinion. Using time-series data from the Australian Election Study ranging from 2016 to 2022, it will investigate how the public’s foreign policy preferences vis-à-vis China have been affected by the Sino-Australian trade war that erupted in 2020. By using the geolocated positions of survey respondents, the analysis will determine whether individuals are more responsive to national dynamics surrounding cases of economic statecraft (such as portrayals and politicization by the media and politicians), or material economic impacts driven by local industry composition and trade exposure to economically hostile states. An understanding of the political effects of economic coercion that incorporates the sub-state level actors having been recognized by the field of Foreign Policy Analysis as shaping state behavior will emerge.

Economic Security Dynamics in East Asia: A Case Study of the 2019 Japan-South Korea Trade Dispute: Jemma Kim (Meiji University)
Abstract: The 2019 Japan-South Korea trade dispute serves as an intriguing case study that highlights the complex interplay between economic interests and geopolitical tensions in East Asia. This paper delves into the unique nature of this dispute, where Japan implemented economic measures against South Korea, a departure from its typical foreign policy stance. Moreover, South Korea's response included security-related measures, adding an additional layer of complexity to the conflict. The study seeks to uncover the factors that contributed to the escalation of the dispute, emphasizing the missteps on both sides and the breakdown in effective communication channels. This paper examines how economic security and geopolitics intertwine, offering insights into the broader landscape of East Asian politics. The escalating confrontation between Japan and South Korea in the face of deepening economic ties and historical tensions challenges conventional wisdom about the relationship between economic interdependence and political cooperation. By analyzing the 2019 dispute, this paper aims to shed light on the dynamics of economic security and contribute to both theoretical and policy discussions in the East Asian context.

Chinese foreign policy narratives and discourses in the Indo-Pacific: Karl Trautman (Central Maine Community College)
Abstract: This paper will reveal and analyze the power of language in diplomacy and shed insights into contemporary Australian foreign policy and strategic responses to China’s growing presence in the Indo-Pacific. The Indo-Pacific region encompasses Australia’s major trading and strategic partners. Australia’s ability to simultaneously benefit from this region’s economic dynamism while reinforcing regional order is under stress due to shifts in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) under Xi Jinping. The shift is characterized by the increasingly exerted political and economic influence in the region over the past two decades. This influence has not only been presented in various material forms, such as economic involvement and military presence; it has also been reflected in the PRC’s normative engagement and more specifically, in its foreign policy language. This paper will examine the discourses, narratives and rhetoric of Chinese foreign policy regarding Australia and the Western presence in South China Sea and Pacific Islands. This paper will employ both quantitative and qualitative research methods to map the key variables in Chinese foreign policy discourses since 2012 (Chinese government under Xi Jinping). Examples of discourse analysis include internationalist discourse, pan-Asian discourse and anti-colonialist discourse. Interpretive methodology will include using the theories of Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida. Content analysis as well as the concept of soft power will also be used in the analysis.