Chinese Assertiveness in the South China Sea

This book offers an assessment of Chinas assertive foreign policy behavior with a special focus on Chinese policies in the South China Sea (SCS). By providing a detailed account of the events in the SCS and by analyzing power dynamics in the region, it identifies the driving forces behind Chinas assertive foreign policy. Considering Chinas power on a domestic as well as an international level, it examines a number of different sources of hard and soft power, including military, economics, geopolitics, and domestic legitimacy. The author demonstrates that Chinese assertiveness in the SCS can be explained not only by increases in Chinas power, but also by effective reactions to other actors foreign policy changes. The book will appeal to scholars in international relations, especially those interested in a better understanding of South China Sea developments, Chinas political power and foreign policy, and East Asian international affairs.