Source (World Intellectual Property) This blog post argues that bureaucracies have a greater impact in foreign policy formulation when applied to the case study of China’s flagship Belt and Road initiative (hereafter known as BRI), with Xi’s increasing centralisation of foreign policy making power not directly applying to BRI formulation. Instead, Xi and the NRDC’sContinue reading “Who has a greater impact in formulating BRI – leadership or bureaucracies?”
Category Archives: Blog Post
What does IR theory say about nuclear proliferation policies regarding Iran?
Image source (szczepan.lemanczyk) Written by James Lo This is the third part of a three part series on using nuclear proliferation theories to analyse current nuclear proliferation foreign policies. In part one, I provided a succinct summary of various theories. In part two, I argued that Etel Solingen’s nuclear proliferation theory, outlined in Nuclear Logics,Continue reading “What does IR theory say about nuclear proliferation policies regarding Iran?”
What does IR theory say about nuclear proliferation policies regarding North Korea?
Image Source (Stephen) Written by James Lo This is the second part of a three part series on using nuclear proliferation theories to analyse current nuclear proliferation foreign policies. In part one, I provided a succinct summary of various theories. In this post, I will argue that Etel Solingen’s nuclear proliferation theory, outlined in NuclearContinue reading “What does IR theory say about nuclear proliferation policies regarding North Korea?”
Nuclear Proliferation and IR theory
Image source (Dennis Jarvis) Written by James Lo This essay is part of a three-part series in analysing how IR theories inform how one should act in terms of nuclear proliferation. Part one introduces the theories that are currently prevalent in the realm of nuclear proliferation, and parts two and three will apply such theoriesContinue reading “Nuclear Proliferation and IR theory”
Is China socialised in western norms and practices through its engagement with international institutions?
Source: ILO Written by James Lo Since Deng’s decision to open up and engage with the international community in 1978, China has increased their interactions with international institutions. Over the past two decades, scholars such as Johnston and Schweller have argued that China can be socialised through their engagements with international institutions and be integratedContinue reading “Is China socialised in western norms and practices through its engagement with international institutions?”
China, Socialisation and the Legitimacy of Environmental Foreign Policy
Image Source Written by James Lo China’s environmental foreign policy can be split in two stages. From 1980s to early 2000s, socialisation occurred through the interactions between China and international regimes such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However, post 2009, China’s environmental foreign policy was orientated around the idea ofContinue reading “China, Socialisation and the Legitimacy of Environmental Foreign Policy”
Taiwan, Soft Balancing and Hong Kong Protests
Image Source (Edmund Yeo) Written by James Lo Building on last week’s post on the stances that Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar took on Hong Kong protests, this essay will look at Taiwan’s stance towards the Hong Kong Protests. Taiwan is the only Asian country to have outwardly spoken in support of Hong Kong protestors andContinue reading “Taiwan, Soft Balancing and Hong Kong Protests”
Bandwagon or Balance: Asian countries’ stances on Hong Kong Protests
Image Source (Judy Gallagher) Written by James Lo Anti-government protests have rocked Hong Kong since March 2019 against proposals to introduce an extradition treaty into Hong Kong legislation. Protestors fear that the Hong Kong citizens’ civil liberties are under threat and they will potentially be open to a disproportionate amount of influence from China, especiallyContinue reading “Bandwagon or Balance: Asian countries’ stances on Hong Kong Protests”
Brexit and Constructivism
Image Source (Bankenverband) Written by James Lo In June 2016, UK held a referendum on the membership of EU and 52% of the respondents voted for leave. Two main schools of thought in constructivism, transactionalism and social constructivism, can help explain Brexit. Transactionalism dictates that ‘inter-state and inter-society transactions’[1] will lead to the creation ofContinue reading “Brexit and Constructivism”
Trump’s withdrawal from The Paris Agreement and Operational Code Analysis
Image Source (Iga Gozdowska) Written by James Lo Trump withdrew from the Paris agreement on the 1st June 2017. The Paris agreement’s aim is for countries to work together to keep global temperature rise this century below 1.5 degrees. In his announcement, Trump argued that the reason for withdrawal was that the agreement led toContinue reading “Trump’s withdrawal from The Paris Agreement and Operational Code Analysis”
IR theory in Practice 