International Order in Transition?: Examining the Politico-Strategic Aspects of China's Major Foreign Economic Initiatives (original) (raw)

International Order in Transition?: Examining the Politico-Strategic Aspects of China's Major Foreign Economic Initiatives

The aim of this paper is to provide an exploratory study of the politico-strategic aspects of China’s major foreign economic initiatives. In particular, this article seeks: (1) to discuss the objectives of the economic initiatives; (2) to examine the major Chinese projects vis-à-vis the current economic architecture; and (3) to discuss how other countries responded to the PRC initiatives. Using the Power Transition Theory, this paper argues that China, with its rapid growth and development and its increasing dissatisfaction with the current order, is attempting to challenge the US-led international architecture through, among others, its major foreign economic initiatives. In response, the US and some of its allies have introduced measures in an attempt to maintain their pre-eminence in the system. NOTE: Since the original publication of this article (30 October 2015), the Philippines has joined the AIIB. http://www.ndcp.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/publications/International%20Order%20in%20Transition%20Examining%20the.pdf