Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of non-structural factors in the making of Sino-US-Japan relations in the Asia-Pacific region. In contrast with structural factor analysis, a non-structural factor analysis emphasizes the contribution of a country's civilization, historical memory, and domestic value system to one's self-cognition, regional role or particular perspective on foreign relations, all of which constitute one' epistemology different from others. Such difference will not necessarily bring out conflicts or wars among modern states such as China, U.S., and Japan. However, in order to avoid getting involved in the possible conflicts, states need to appreciate each other's differences in terms of epistemology rather than relying on one type of universal definition on one country's national character or its material power. This paper categorizes three types of sovereignty perspective based on U.S. own self-understanding of itself and the world, along with China and Japan's self-views respectively. In the short run, the dispute or conflict between China, and U.S. and Japan is coming, unless the U.S. could give up its containment policy, or Japan could compromise with China to face their old grudge; in the long run, Japan would pose more threat to U.S. than what China might do now unless the U.S. could give up its continuous suppression of Japan's call for being a normal country.
Translated title of the contribution | Revisiting the Sino-US-Japan Relationship in the Asia-Pacific Region: Non-Structural Factor Analysis |
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Original language | Chinese (Traditional) |
Pages (from-to) | 49-70 |
Number of pages | 22 |
Journal | 全球政治評論 = Review of Global Politics |
Issue number | 58 |
Publication status | Published - 2017 Apr 30 |