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This course looks at China’s changing international relationships in Asia and beyond through frameworks and concepts in the International Relations (IR) literature. Part I sets out the context, Part II examines some of the main approaches in IR, while Part III applies these to questions of regionalism in East Asia, maritime politics, and the Belt and Road Initiative.

Part I: Introduction and context

1.Introduction: Course objectives and key concepts (9 Jan.)

2.The Historical Chinese World Order (16 Jan.)

3.International Relations theory and its limitations (23 Jan.)

No class on 30 January (Chinese New Year holiday)

4. Chinese foreign policy since 1949: ideas, institutions and debates (6 Feb.)

II. China and Regional Order: contested frameworks

5.Offensive realism: Can China rise peacefully? (13 Feb.)

6.Liberal International Order (20 Feb.)

7.The English School and Regional Order (27 Feb.)

No class on 6 March (reading week)

8.Selected Chinese thinking on international order I (13 Mar.)

9.Selected Chinese thinking on international order II (20 Mar.)

Continued discussion from Week 8 class.

III. Case studies: China and regional order in Asia

10.China and (East) Asian regionalism (27 Mar.)

11.Maritime politics and regional order in East Asia (3 Apr.)

12.The Belt and Road Initiative and regional/global order (10 Apr.)

13.Conclusion (17 Apr.)

1. 30%: An annotated presentation or slide set based on tutorial discussions of readings for the first half of term to be submitted by 6pm on Friday 28 February
2. 60%: Final paper of at least 3,000 words (CHES5149) or 2,500 words (CHES3107)
3. 10%: Class attendance and participation

Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and regulations. Details may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/. With each assignment, students will be required to submit a signed declaration that they are aware of the policies, regulations and procedures.