International Relations and the Politics of China and East Asia

Joshua, UK, has been applying to Universities to do International Relations, many of which have a year abroad. For one University he had to write this essay on why he wants to study International Relations with a year in China/Hong Kong.

"Why are you interested in the politics of China and East Asia and what do you expect to gain from studying Politics and International Relations with a Year in China/Hong Kong?"

The East and the West are polar opposites that excite intrigue of the other. I have been born and raised surrounded by the interesting world of western politics and affairs; from democratic ideals, to John Locke’s political philosophy on liberalism and Hobbes’s social contract theory. There is no denying these ideas of western politics are engaging, but there is a differentiation between the political west and the political east. Never the less I am fully aware that the politics of the west is, in many cases, inexplicably linked to that of the rest of the world and that of China and East Asia. However, I feel that there is a whole new dimension of challenges and depth when they are studied in the context of the East alone, allowing me to gain a better understanding of international relations in a global context. Likewise acquiring knowledge of the various areas throughout the world individually, will allow me to establish a greater and deeper understanding of the international arena, in which I hope to venture into in the future.

One could ask why I have chosen China and East Asia as opposed to other equally important, interesting and politically complex countries. One of the reasons I begun to look into the Politics of China, and therefore East Asia, was a result of the Beijing Olympics. Here we have a country that was considered somewhat underdeveloped and most definitely not a country in pursuit of, as many would call it, super power status putting on this show that stunned the world. Subsequently China arguably became the most spectacular Olympic host ever seen. Most important for me however is that the Olympics served as China’s announcement to the world and indeed it caught many people’s attention, including mine. As a result I was compelled to look into the historical context of China’s political situation and how they had risen in power, wealth and influence on an international scale.

It is no mystery that China is the world’s fastest developing economy, despite the global recession, and this is perhaps due to the fact that they still have a significant domestic market to cater for the 1.3 billion inhabitants of China. In the context of East Asia, China are the pre-eminent power in the Far East/Pacific basin, indeed it appears that only Japan are in a position to rival China. Likewise Japan does have superiority in terms of technology, but their peace treaty that resulted at the end of WWII hinders their ability to rise into the upper ranks of ‘superpower status’. For example despite Japan’s peace force being invariably large, powerful and heavily financed it is, unfortunately, almost unknown and is not written about. Moreover it plays a small role in the operations of the UN, particularly in comparison to China who in 2007 reapplied to the ROC to gain full UN membership. Overall they are held back by their history and in turn Japan does not have the same unrestrained position as China, whom in a hundred years time could potentially be the world’s pre-eminent power. Thus the opportunity to experience, contribute and be a part of the country that is perhaps going to be the driving force behind global affairs in the future is unparalleled. In addition to this, the fact that China’s prominence is potentially on our horizon warrants a wealth of study and would allow me to step outside of studying the dynamic political systems of the past, and experience the study of a present day developmental marvel. This is not only exciting but intriguing in the sense that it is very likely in my career in British Intelligence, the EU, UN, NGO (UNICEF) or other suitable international role, this knowledge and experience will be directly applicable to current affairs. Thus this gives me an advantage in tackling the issue at hand and allowing me to contribute to my personal development, career and hopefully the world around us.

Another reason why I have an interest in the politics of China in particular regards its political system. Other countries in East Asia do not offer such a unique, alternative political train of thought. For example Malaysia adopts a multi party idea run under a federal constitutional monarchy, and Singapore and Vietnam take on the ideals of democracy. On the other hand China is a vast country, and the political system of China is dictated by its size. Thus in order to maintain control of a large space China must retain a strong central bureaucracy to govern each state. As a result China has a communist political system, but remains unique because of its implementation of a capitalist economy. Naturally from the perspective of a person who is interested in politics and international relations the individuality of China’s political system sets it apart as a dynamic place of study. With its rare culture and politics that contain numerous aspects I have never come across and now wish to understand.

Notably for me Communism is somewhat of an untouched subject, something that I have always known about, been aware of and wanted to learn more about, but it was never tangible. Thus I believe that the only way to truly experience and understand a communist system would be to live, and even study, within one. My interest in communism within China specifically was heightened following my reading of the events of Tiananmen Square, in which I begun to contemplate democratisation with regards to China. The protests which were sparked by the death of the democratic figure Hu Yaobang initiated the people’s instinct to call for reforms within the Chinese political system, reforms that took a democratic slant. What is even more interesting, yet unquestionably shocking, is that the Chinese government attempted to quell the rebellions by proceeding to shoot their own people. Such an audacious statement compels me to try and find the motivations and reasons behind such an act, never the less these motivations are complex and it appears they can only be deciphered in an environment of higher education that delves deeper into Chinese politics.

Furthermore upon learning about the event I began to question the idea that democracy as an unassailable good that should be seen as fundamental political intent within all countries. Instead it appears that it is essential to take into account the cultural implications with regards to the political system. Specifically in the case of China and the ideas of Confucius one could argue that democracy is not a principle embedded in the culture and general mindset of the Chinese people. Indeed China has been ruled as an empire because of emperors for numerous years through out its history. So it is no wonder that the Chinese people may not be accustomed to democracy. Never the less it is a flourishing nation on the rise and communism, despite common belief, can be argued to be working on a number of levels. Although to make this statement definitive, would be to look at China in a superficial context, it is true that while their economy is on the rise so is their rate of inequality. In addition China’s communist state causes them to censor their media exposure, which some would argue is an infringement of human rights. Taking these points into consideration it seems that China has a duality in which it is hard to ascertain if, in the grand scheme of things, their method of ruling is for the better or worse. I for one look forward to seeing China in the future but in the present – through higher education – I will endeavour to understand how China reached the position they are in today, so I can help understand where China will be going in the future.

As an emerging key player in the global arena, it is very likely China will begin to branch off into other countries. Indeed as a person who wishes to work in international relations it is likely that I will be required by many employers such as MI6 to possess competency in Chinese (Mandarin). Similarly employers such as MI5, GCHQ and UNICEF state Mandarin is a highly favourable attribute. Likewise as I wish to apply for a British intelligence position upon graduation the opportunity to become highly competent if not fluent in such a desirable language would be of my complete benefit. Aside from my career, I am intrigued by the world and I wish to learn several languages, of which Mandarin is perhaps the most challenging, hence becoming fluent would enhance my ability to learn yet more languages. Furthermore the difficulty of the language also means that unlike Spanish or French it is unlikely that I will have another opportunity to learn Mandarin outside of the academic environment. Particularly as my knowledge can be compounded by the year abroad, a principle that I feel is integral to learning such a complex language and a feature that is very hard to replicate outside of this course. Overall regardless of its difficulty, the language will enhance me personally as well as professionally.

Ultimately for an international relations applicant the experience of studying in China is invaluable. China to an international relations student is what the brain is to a medical student. A place of undiscovered study that will be at the forefront of research in the future. The prospect of learning the language so early in my career, gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese politics, along with analysis and interpretative skills, independence and a new outlook on global affairs that reaches beyond the headlines, can not be found elsewhere.

What do you think about China and the politics of China? Do you live in China? Are you interested in Chinese politics? Comment and let us know!