Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
International Relations Dynamics in the 21st Century: Security, Conflicts, and Wars, Merve Suna Özel Özcan, Editör, IGI Global yayınevi, Pennsylvania, ss.155-171, 2024
While there is broad consensus that China's foreign policy has become more ambitious and assertive under Xi Jinping's leadership, interpretations regarding the extent of this shift vary. This paper reviews the debate on change and continuity in China's foreign policy by examining the evolution of China's South China Sea (SCS) policy before and during the Xi era. Recent original scholarship on the SCS provides valuable insights and findings for discussing change and continuity under Xi. By reviewing these insights and findings, along with official documents and speeches, this paper concludes that ascribing China's new assertiveness in the SCS primarily to Xi's preferences may overlook other contributing factors. These include the perception of a narrowing power gap with the United States since the late 2000s, the cumulative growth of maritime capabilities resulting from concerted efforts since the late 1990s, and the influence of domestic actors on policy formulation and implementation.