Analyzing China’s understanding of global hegemony requires understanding not only its current foreign policy practices but also its thousands of years of historical memory and the notion of civilization.
China has historically been called the “Middle Kingdom” (Zhōngguó), and this designation has carried with it not only a geopolitical claim but also a claim of cultural superiority. This claim was embodied in the traditional tributary system that positioned the states around China in a hierarchical order, and it penetrated a wide geography during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Today’s interpretations of China’s rise are often evaluated only in the context of the post-Cold War power vacuum,
ignoring this historical continuity. However, China’s quest for hegemony is not only a modern power policy, but also a civilization-centered reconstruction project rooted in Confucian political philosophy.
In his work “The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers,” Paul Kennedy argues that economic power is decisive in the sustainability of military and political power. According to Kennedy’s analysis, the collapse of great powers is often linked to “imperial overstretch.” It is observed that China has established a strategic balance in this context. It is trying to continue economic development not through military expansion but through infrastructure diplomacy,
debt policies and soft power strategies. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is the most visible manifestation of this strategy. China aims to connect not only Asia but also a wide geography from Africa to Europe with economic networks. As Kennedy emphasizes in his thesis, hegemony is established not only through military superiority but also through control of production power and logistics networks. China’s railway and port investments constitute the infrastructure of this long-term plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment