On the Struggle for International Power of Discourse on Climate Change

With climate change developing into one of the global focal issues, the struggle for the international power of discourse on climate change tends to be intensified. The struggle is in essence the contest for national interest revolving around economic and development interest. The weight of international power of discourse acquired by each country is determined by its national strength and its relevant policies as well.     

SOME SUGGESTIONS ON POLICY MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR SINO-EU COOPERATION

China and EU have many commonalties as well as striking differences. The former consti-tutes the basis for mutual cooperation while the latter provides us with opportunities to learn from the other抯 strong points to offset one抯 own weak-nesses. The key to successful cooperation lies in equality, mutual benefit and mutual respect. In view of this, I would like to make three suggestions. I.Several notable issues concerning policy making and implementation. i.It is imperative to apply…     

Climate Change and the US Security Sector: the Securitization of Climate Change

This preliminary study traces how climate change came to be viewed as a security issue in the United States through a review of policy documents and reports prepared for and by the US security sector. The paper draws upon the ideas of constructivist schools of security studies to provide an analytical framework for understanding the meaning of the securitization process as it has occurred in the United States. It then refl ects upon the adequacy of those frameworks to interpret the securitization of climate change. In the US, new knowledge of the phenomenon of climate change was fi rst constructed in the research sector, in the fi elds of meteorology and atmospheric science. Environmental and Earth sciences then became a locus of research, and climate change fi rst entered security discourse as a topic of environmental protection. As the implications of climate change and its potential impact on water resources, food production, diseases, infrastructure, and human migration came to the attention of the security sector, this knowledge stimulated an internal discourse, where each new document functioned both as a new securitization statement and as a policy response to prior documents in a chain of discourse. Actors in this securitization process included not only “speakers” making a securitization claim (knowledge claim) and “audiences” that accept or reject a claim. Importantly, it also included actors who were instrumental in translating knowledge between research and security sectors. This brief consideration suggests that social science theories that center on practice are more robust than those that center on discourse for interpreting the securitization of climate change. Improved analytic frameworks need to better account for actors whose role is to transfer and translate knowledge from one sector to another.     

Changes in China＇s Energy Situation and Its Strategy for Energy Security

As world consumption of energy grows fast, the proven petro- leum reserves are limited in today＇s world, and the oil price fluctuates and most often soars up sharply, energy has become a most crucial factor in the world economy and the energy security problem has increasingly become an important focus of attention for the international community. Owing to the big size and the fast growth-rate of China＇s economy, it is only too natural that China＇s energy situation, including its energy import, and its energy policy and strategy have been watched closely and discussed extensively by the whole world with wide-spread interest. It might be useful for this paper to give a brief account of the actual situation of China＇s energy production and consumption and China＇s relevant strategy for energy security.     

The EU’s Foreign Policy Under Debt Crisis

Under the impact of the sovereign debt crisis, the European Union pays less attention to its foreign policy and the Common Foreign Policy tends to be "renationalized"; the EU is again embracing "geo-economics" with an enhanced tendency of highlighting economic ties and trade in its external relations; EU countries have greatly cut their defence expenditures, making it more difficult to implement the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) in future. The author holds that the prospects of economic growth in the Eurozone countries, European integration under the pressure of structural changes in international relations, and competition and collaboration in a multiple structure of foreign policy establishments are combined to shape the EU’s foreign policy in the coming years.     

Response to Climate Change： China＇s Actions and Cooperation with EU

Along with the fast growth of world economy, industrialization in particular, global issues such as climate change have become common concerns of the international community. Climate diplomacy is also gradually becoming a hot topic on the international agenda. Climate change is a common challenge to the world and every country bears the responsibility to address this issue. China is highly concerned about climate change and hopes to work with EU and the rest of the world to meet this challenge.     

Economic Regionalism: A Win-Win Option

Economic regionalism in East Asia lags far behind the quickened pace of southward thrust of the North America Free Trade Area (NAFTA) and eastern extension of the European Union. Despite aspirations for regional economic cooperation on the part of the nations concerned , differences in their stage of economic development, the burning issues facing them and varying domestic pressures against trade liberalization have resulted in insufficient urgency and driving force for making     

“美国优先”对美韩、美日同盟的影响

Under the“America First”foreign policy,the Trump administration has taken a series of measures toward its East Asian allies the Republic of Korea(ROK)and Japan,in order to force them to make substantial concessions on defense cost-sharing and trade issues.As a result,concerns over the reliability of the alliance with the United States have been raised in the two countries,posing new challenges to the US-ROK and US-Japan alliances.     

Letter From Readers

I have just received a copy of the current issue of your spokes magazine 'International Understanding'. I noted some welcome changes in its production that impressed me. Hence,this letter. The issues and subjects presented in various articles with the views and analyses of their authors are well selected and appropriately titled. The layout as also the printing are neat making the outlook of the magazine more attractive than before. The informative round up of the organizational activities …     

Classical Public Diplomacy and Chinese Characteristics

In recent years, countries around the world have attached
increasing importance to public diplomacy. The United States has made public diplomacy a constant subject in foreign policy making. And the promotion of U.S. values and ideas throughout the world has become one of the two pillars of the Strategic Plan of the U.S. Department of State. In Germany,     

Economic Integration vs European Balance of Power

The fifth round of the EU enlargement on May1,2004turns thelong-cherished"utopia"of a unified Europe into reality through apeaceful,economic approach.This paper attempts to make some ex-plorations on the following issues:Why the option for an economic ap-proach?What changes have taken place in the nature and behavior ofthe relevant nations?What impact will the event have on European sta-bility and balance How will the EU keep equilibrium through sys-temic mechanisms in case of inter-state …     

The Strategic Dialogue and Sino-U.S . Relations

On August 1-2, China and the United States held a strategic dialogue. This is in fact the first mechanized strategic dialogue between China and America. Both sides decided to hold such a dialogue alternatively in each other's capital twice a year. The significance of the first comprehensive and mechanized senior dialogue between the two sides to discuss strategic issues of common interest cannot be underestimated. Therefore, it was an event that attracted worldwide attention. Apart from pay…     

China-EU Relationship

The China-EU relationship attracted global interest in 2006. On the one hand, cooperation between China and the EU was making good progress, but on the other, there were challenges facing both, leading some international policy     

＂Strategic Reassurance＂ and the Future of China-U.S. Relations

＂Strategic reassurance,＂ a new concept in Obama＇s China policy, should be fostered bilaterally by dialogue designed to highlight and reinforce the areas of common interests while addressing the sources of mistrust directly. Yet in practice it seems that U.S. strategic reassurance has contrasted all China＇s core interests. The United States and China must recognize their different social systems and asymmetrical national strength in seeking to realize strategic stability. Crisis control requires sophisticated management of both side, especially on sensitive issues like weapons sales, the Dalai Lama, and the South China Sea dispute.     

China-EU Relationship

The China-EU relationship attracted global interest in 2006. On the one hand, cooperation between China and the EU was making good progress, but on the other, there were challenges facing both, leading some international policy analysts to conclude that the honeymoon period between China and the EU was over.     

The Strategic Dialogue and Sino-U. S. Relations

On August 1-2, China and the United States held a strategic dialogue. This is in fact the first mechanized strategic dialogue between China and America. Both sides decided to hold such a dialogue alternatively in each other's capital twice a year.The significance of the first comprehensive and mechanized senior dialogue between the two sides to discuss strategic issues of common interest cannot be underestimated. Therefore, it was an event that attracted worldwide attention. Apart from paying attention tothe dialogue itself, the media hope to fully understand the cause of the dialogue, the result of the first strategic talk, the influence of the talk on bilateral relations. The Editorial Department of Contemporary International Relations invited scholars from the Institute of American studies of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations to hold a discussion to provide our readers some food for thought over relevant issues.     

China＇s Rise vs. International Order Evolution

A heated debate over the rise of China has been going on unabated in the international community for nearly two decades. However, with the elapse of time, the initial divergence of views in the mainstream opinion has gradually diminished and the gap in China policy among nations has likewise narrowed down. Instead, reason and a realistic approach have eventually taken center stare.     

Bilateral Relations Defined at a Strategic Level

Problems seem to pile up in Sino-Japanese ties as exchanges are increasing while contacts grow in width and new developments surface on both sides. Not surprisingly different interpretations of these issues have also given rise to varying misgivings about the prospects for the relationship between the two neighbors among academics. This has found its reflection in the recent extensive concern over the matter. For deepening the discussion, the Forum of Experts of Contemporary International Relations and the Division for Northeast Asian Studies of China Institute of Contemporary International Relations cosponsored a one-day meeting at Wanshou Villa in the suburb of Beijing with a view to seeking a brighter future for bilateral ties. Heated, in-depth discussions involved a variety of relevant issues. Excerpts of speeches at the symposium follow.     

Protecting China＇s Overseas National Interests in Changing International Circumstances： Experience of Western Countries and What China Should Do

Developed countries in the West always attach great importance to protection of their overseas interests. Since the end of World War II, governments of these countries have been making unremitting efforts to protect the economic interests of their businesses and nationals in foreign countries and work to ensure their safety and security by establishing an international order in their favor and by every possible means - diplomatic, political, economic, legal and even military. To study and learn from experiences and lessons of Western powers is of great practical significance for China to develop and perfect relevant mechanisms and policies in protecting its own overseas interests.     

LATIN AMERICA:POST-COLD WAR DIPLOMATIC TRENDS

Remarkable adjustments in foreign policy have been made hy the 33 LatinAmerican countries,the major influential ones in particular,since the adventof the 1990s.The inperative for making drastic policy adjustments originates fromthe urgent need to meet the challenges resulting from the end of the Cold War andthe transformed world power balance.