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Exploring the International Actorness of China's Yunnan Province

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Exploring the International Actorness of China's Yunnan Province Beyond the Hinterland: Exploring the International Actorness of China’s Yunnan Province Song Yao Submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Asia Institute The University of Melbourne September 2019 ORCID: 0000-0002-7720-3266 Abstract This study analyses the international relations of subnational governments, a phenomenon conceptualized as paradiplomacy. The scholarly literature on paradiplomacy tends to focus overly on subnational governments in federal systems, rather than those in unitary and centralized countries whose subnational governments have been increasingly proactive in international relations. China is one of these countries. Among the limited numbers of works on Chinese paradiplomacy, the majority are framed within the central-local interactions on foreign affairs and pay inadequate attention to how these provinces have participated directly in external cooperation, in line with their local interests. This body of works also displays a geographical bias, showing more interest in the prosperous coastal regions of China than its inland and border regions. This study, therefore, seeks to address the question of how Yunnan, a border province in the southwest of China, has become an international actor by exploring its international actorness. The thesis develops an original analytical framework. In contrast with previous analytical paradiplomacy frameworks, it combines the concept of paradiplomacy with the theory of actorness. After reviewing the relevant scholarly works, four dimensions of actorness have been considered: motivation, opportunity, capability, and presence. First, this study argues that, in the face of profound domestic developments and a complex external environment, Yunnan has been motivated to engage in cross-border cooperation and to consolidate its external affairs powers. This is followed by a discussion of how external affairs powers have enabled Yunnan to leverage three broad instruments to incentivise neighbouring countries to cooperate with it: infrastructure development, economic statecraft, and diplomatic efforts. Lastly, it is argued that the increased external powers of Yunnan have propelled its role as an international relations actor towards recognition by both neighbouring countries and the Chinese central government. The primary empirical data informing this study was collected through qualitative interviews with those involved in the implementation of Yunnan’s foreign agenda, representatives from province-owned enterprises, universities, and think tanks, and officials and experts from the neighbouring countries of Yunnan. Relevant information was also collected from official documents, gazettes, almanacs, and media reports. Participant observation was conducted as a complement to interviews and content analyses. Consequently, this thesis i contributes to the paradiplomacy literature by providing in-depth insights into the international actorness of an under-researched border Chinese province. It has contributed to the extant paradiplomacy literature by proposing a new analytical framework that provides an opening to explore the international actorness of a subnational government. Among previous works, few analytical frameworks have been able to account fully for the evolution of the paradiplomatic activities of subnational governments, whether in federal or unitary states. Through this analysis, therefore, this study demonstrates that a Chinese case can, for the most part, fit within the broader context of paradiplomacy scholarship based on Western cases. ii Declaration This thesis comprises only my original work towards the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, and due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all other material used. The thesis is fewer than 100,000 words in length, exclusive of tables, bibliography and appendices. Song Yao April 2019 iii Acknowledgments I am fortunate to have been supervised by Dr.Pradeep Taneja. During the past four to five years, he has not only provided me boundless instructions on the completion of my PhD research, but also broadened my horizons and endeavoured to draw my attention to a general picture of world geopolitics which is certainly not limited to the Greater Mekong Subregion. As his student, I feel privileged to have had more chances than others to learn about his insightful and comprehensive perspectives on many global issues, which has been genuinely inspiring. He even made me understand China more deeply. I am very much obliged to Associate Prof.Gao Jia. As the chair of my supervision committee, he teamed with my supervisor to ensure my data collection and completion of the whole thesis was smooth and punctual. His professionalism, East Asian values, and lasting enthusiasm for work reminded me of some traditional Chinese masters who has succeeded overseas, especially Mr.Qian Zhongshu. All of them are characterized by their patriotism, modesty, and uprightness. I am thankful to Prof.Vedi Hadiz who brought new virtues into the Asia Institute. Since he took office as the head of the AI, all the students and I sensed the difference. I do believe the new students will find the Asia Institute under Vedi’s leadership, with greater influence, upgraded facilities, and more harmonious cooperation between supervisors and PhD researchers, the best choice to make their dreams come true. In the course of researching and writing this thesis, I have also benefited from the following friends, relatives, scholars, and government officials: James Seymour, Sow Keat Tok, Luo Yongxian, Abdul-Samad Abdullah, Muhammad Kamal, Roybn Borg, Leena Sookramanien, Zheng Ruiqiang, Xu Qingduo, Yu Li, Yao Yang, Li Mingjiang, David Goodman, Tim Summers, Czeslaw Tubilewicz, Sun Bin, Wu Lei, Jin Cheng, Bi Shihong, Lv Xing, Liu Jinxing, Sun Baoquan, Khin Maung Lynn, Tin Htoo Naing, Khin Maung Nyo, Watcharas Leelawath, Simon Shen, Patrick Wong, Willy Lam, Zhang Baohui, Deng Su’e, Song Chaopeng, Deng Lin, Zhang Qianjin, Song Rui, Guan Tianru, Qiao Guangyu, Tan Xiao, Liu Tianyang, Yuan Zhenjie, Pan Qiuping, Yang Yilu, Yang Yunying, Huang Biao, Zhu Yuzhu, Zhi Haotong, Kevin Ge, Yu Lei, Ran Dong, Jiang Liu, Li Chen, Li Xing, Song Ke, Erica Li, Zhang Weipeng, Cheng Xiao. Last, as a young researcher in China’s foreign affairs, I want to take this opportunity to express my deep concern about China’s relations with the United States and its ways of dealing with the international community. As I drafted this thesis in the last two years, China was dragged into a trade war with America. Thus far, China has yet to work out a visible, firm grand strategy, and many countries have already lost their confidence in China’s commitments to fair trade, equal treatment for foreign investors, the opening of domestic markets, and the undertaking of tangible economic, financial, and political reforms. As a young international relations student from China, I hope that the attainment of my PhD might be a new starting point, and that I will join numerous young Chinese researchers and iv practitioners, in particular those who have attained their doctoral degrees from overseas institutions, in devoting our knowledge, global vision, and new insights to the country. v Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... i Declaration ............................................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................. iv Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................. vii List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................... ix List of Acronyms & Abbreviations ........................................................................................................... x 1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Question, Objectives, and Actors ..................................................................................... 2 1.3 Analytical Framework & Case Selection ........................................................................................... 4 1.5 Relevance ......................................................................................................................................... 9 1.6 Structure of the Thesis ................................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 14 2.2 Literature Review ........................................................................................................................... 15 2.2.1 Challenges to the State-Centric Approach ..................................................................... 15 2.2.1.1 End of the Cold War .................................................................................................... 16 2.2.1.2 Acceleration of Globalization .....................................................................................
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