East Asia’s strategic positioning toward China: identifying and accounting for intra-regional variations

Jae Ho Chung, Hun Joon Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Relatively few systematic and categorical studies have been conducted on the variant responses by East Asian states to the rise of China, and even fewer dealt with reasons for such intra-regional variations. This study seeks to fill the void by examining the strategic responses by 15 East Asian states for the period of 2011–2016. This period merits close scrutiny because China became more explicitly assertive. The research proceeds in two phases. First, by way of reading into the expert assessments in academic journals, the strategic responses of the 15 states are categorised into balancing, hedging, or bandwagoning. Second, statistical analyses are conducted to see how the intra-regional variations are related to unit-level factors. Of the seven variables analyzed, three–geographical proximity, democracy, and identity–turn out to be crucial in determining the East Asian states’ strategic responses.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAustralian Journal of International Affairs
DOIs
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2022

Keywords

  • balancing
  • bandwagoning
  • China
  • East Asia
  • hedging

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Political Science and International Relations

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