CHINA AS REGIONAL HEGEMON 1

CHINA AS REGIONAL HEGEMON

Introduction to Political Economy

Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Santiago, April Ruth H.

BPS IV-2

2012-08118-MN-0
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INTRODUCTION

East Asia is becoming, in the language of international relations theory, bipolar. That
metaphor, from magnetism, suggests two large states with overlapping spheres of influence
competing for regional leadership. The Cold War was a famous global example of bipolarity. Most
states in the world tilted toward the United States or the Soviet Union in a worldwide, zero-sum
competition. Although analysts have hesitated for many years in applying such strong language
to East Asia, this is now increasingly accepted. A lengthy twilight struggle between China and
Japan, with U.S. backing, seems in the offing (Kelly, 2014). When we speak of territory, we mean
nothing but space. Today, territory has been very noisy. China is considered the biggest country
in the world, like many people know. China, nowadays, is very popular. Why is China making a
move about Regional hegemon? But before that, how do we define Hegemon? Regional
Hegemon? China named as Maritime Hegemon because China has been very pronounced and
has been speaking about areas that their country considered a space. Is Maritime power equal to
maritime hegemon?

In the end, Chinas economic rise represents both opportunities and dilemmas to
neighbors, particularly the Philippines, which has been heavily resisting Beijings territorial
expansionism in the West Philippine Sea. The trick, therefore, is how to benefit from Chinas
growing financial prowess without sacrificing our territorial interests, as countries like Vietnam and
Malaysia have been doing for decades. This will demand extraordinary leadership and a cunning
strategy (Heydarian, 2015).
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DISCUSSION

According to Wikipedia, a territory is a term for types of administrative division, usually an

area that is under the jurisdiction of a state. In most countries' terminology, such as the United
States and Nigeria, it refers to an organized division of an area that is under control of
a country but not formally developed into, or incorporated into, a political unit of that country of
equal status to other political units such as states or provinces. In international politics, the term
is used particularly in reference to a non-sovereign geographic area which has come under the
authority of another government; which has not been granted the powers of self-government
normally devolved to secondary territorial divisions; or both.

The ruling is binding and carries region-wide implications, but there is no enforcement
mechanism or any suggestions about how China and its Asian maritime neighbors can resolve
the dispute. The best outcome of the ruling would be for Beijing and the other claimants to begin
negotiations about reaching mutually acceptable settlements. That could happen, but its
important for all sides to dial down the rhetoric and intimidation (Kingston, 2016). There is no
common assurance that China has been making a move about maritime hegemon. But invisibly,
they are. With all the Asian countries involved about national territory, including the Philippines.
We must be warned.

Discussing all of these, we must know more about hegemony and such. The concept of
hegemony in cultural imperialism is where the leader state dictates the internal politics and
the societal character of the subordinate states that constitute the hegemonic sphere of influence,
either by an internal, sponsored government or by an external, installed government. Sounding it
more comfortable, regional hegemony is the influence exercised over neighboring countries by
an independently powerful nation. We speak of an uprising and superiority. Why is China making
all of these? Lets examine the July 6 speech given in Washington by former Chinese state
councilor Dai Bingguo about Beijings regional intentions. He spoke of finding truth from facts, a
sure sign in Chinese that listeners can expect some tremendous whoppers to follow, in this case
regarding Beijings claims in the South China Sea. He also said bilateral relations should be based
on mutual respect and equality, before denying Beijings desire to make the South China Sea an
Asian Caribbean Sea and impose the Monroe Doctrine to exclude the U.S. from Asia. Interesting
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analogy. A Chinese version of the U.S. Monroe Doctrine is exactly what Washington worries about
it is unaccustomed to being hoisted with its own petard. (Japantimes, 2014).

Although, to be fair, it is not clear yet if indeed China seeks regional hegemony. But there
is a growing consensus among American and Japanese analysts that this is indeed the case. By
Chinese hegemony in Asia we broadly mean something akin to the United States position in Latin
America. We do not mean actual conquest. Almost no one believes China intends to annex even
its weakest neighbors like Cambodia or North Korea. Rather, analysts expect a zone of super-
ordinate influence over neighbors. For example, in 1823, U.S. president James Monroe
proclaimed the Monroe Doctrine, which warned all non-American powers to stay out of the
Western Hemisphere on pain of U.S. retaliation. This has worked reasonably well for almost 200
years. The U.S. has variously used force, aid, covert CIA assistance, trade, and so on to eject
foreign powers from what Washington (condescendingly) came to call Americas backyard.
Today, of course, such language seems disturbingly neocolonial, but many assume that the
fundamental illiberalism of such spheres of influence do not worry non-democracies like China
(Kelly, 2014).

For a quick overview, China has been engraving such countries like the following:

The court held that Chinese law enforcement vessels unlawfully created a serious risk of
collision when they physically obstructed Philippine vessels in the region.

China is locked in disputes over the Spratly and Paracel groups of islands in the South China
Sea with other countries of the region.

While the other claimants over the Spratly islands are Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan
and Vietnam, the Paracel islands are also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

The most heavily contested are the Spratlys, a group of 14 islands, islets and cays and more
than 100 reefs that are strategically located.

The Malacca Strait is a narrow stretch of water between Malaysia and the Indonesian island of
Sumatra and serves as a crucial link to the South China Sea.
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That China was seeking to increase its dominance in the Indian Ocean region became evident
when the Maldives parliament passed a land lease act in undue haste last year (IANS, 2016).

China has brought forward the strategies of building itself into a sporting power,technolo
gical power, and cultural power on various occasions, and the internationalcommunity has res
ponded gently to these strategies. Why are certain foreign mediaoutlets so sensitive to Hu's call
for China to become a maritime power? Probably because they still hold the traditional mentality
that a major power is bound toseek hegemony, and consider China to be the same as certain e
xpansionist countries.They wrongly believe a rising China will seek maritime hegemony after be
coming amaritime power, and that its naval expansion accompanied by shellfire is bound tothre
aten world peace and development. History proves that the rise of great powers is inseparable fr
om naval buildup. Whilepromoting modernization, China should constantly adjust its maritime str
ategy, andaccelerate building itself into a maritime power. Unlike other major powers that havew
ildly exploited maritime resources, China has always shown respect for and fear of theocean in i
ts maritime strategy. The 21st century is an era of ocean, which is related to national security an
d long
termdevelopment. The world's major marine nations take maritime rights and interests astheir c
ore interests, actively pursuing new marine economic policies and strategic adjustments (PDO,
2012).

CONCLUSION

However, since 2009, China has been sending of bullying and threats. One possible conclusion
is that superiority resides in them and it must stop. Regional Hegemony isnt good after all. China
makes moves but they must answer the issue of territorial claims. As a conclusion, China as
Regional hegemon is not pronounced to be in that way. But on the other side, claims are
evidences.

RECOMMENDATION

The following are some pointers about regional hegemony:

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1. Hegemony causes counterbalancing. Other countries will try and balance out, killing any
attempt at reform, especially in foreign policy.

2. Causes proliferation. Other countries will proliferate its the only way for them to feel safe.
Proliferation increases the likeliness of nuclear war by making it easy for rogue states to launch
nuclear missiles.

3. Spurs terrorism. The reason there is terrorism is because they're hostile to the value system,
especially hegemony. Terrorism is obviously bad, and if someone wants to indict this impact, be
my guest.

4. Kills our economy. Deficit is bad now, if we keep increasing hegemony, we will plunge our
economy down the drain. Keeping our military up costs a lot of money and we cant afford it
anymore right now.
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REFERENCES

(2016). Retrieved 25 July 2016, from http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/china-will-not-

stop-quest-for-maritime-hegemony/articleshow/53262904.cms

China says U.S. seeks 'hegemony' after South China Sea sailing. (2016). Reuters. Retrieved 25 July 2016,
from http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-china-usa-idUSKCN0VA1ST

China: Asias new economic hegemon?. (2016). Rappler. Retrieved 25 July 2016, from
http://www.rappler.com/thought-leaders/98318-china-asia-new-economic-hegemon

Debate Argument: US Hegemony is bad | Debate.org. (2016). Debate.org. Retrieved 25 July 2016, from
http://www.debate.org/debates/US-Hegemony-is-bad/1/

Is maritime power equal to maritime hegemony? - People's Daily Online. (2016). En.people.cn. Retrieved
25 July 2016, from http://en.people.cn/90785/8021199.html

Kingston, J. (2016). China: more hegemon than bogeyman? | The Japan Times. The Japan Times.
Retrieved 25 July 2016, from http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/07/16/commentary/china-
hegemon-bogeyman/#.V5XNtvmKTIW

Regional hegemony. (2016). Wikipedia. Retrieved 25 July 2016, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_hegemony

Robert E. Kelly, T. (2016). What Would Chinese Hegemony Look Like?. The Diplomat. Retrieved 25 July
2016, from http://thediplomat.com/2014/02/what-would-chinese-hegemony-look-like/