THE RISE OF CHINA AS A CONSTRUCTED NARRATIVE: SOUTHEAST ASIA'S RESPONSE TO ASIA'S POWER SHIFT

Abstract

This thesis examines the role of perceptions in Southeast Asian countries and their impact on the narration of China’s rise. Relying on in-depth case studies on Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia and using content analysis of domestic elites’ statements, policies, and views on relations with China, I argue that domestic legitimacy crises accompanied by leadership transitions tend to yield more inconsistent perceptions of China, and therefore perceptions of the rise of China are domestically-oriented, constructed narratives. By answering the question: how and why do domestic politics in small, regional powers affect the foreign perceptions and strategic narratives on China’s rise? I challenge the conventional explanation in IR for power transitions that it is largely driven by structural incentives or constraints. What also matters is the domestic political debates and competing discourses that occur below the structural level.