Graduation Term

2016

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Department of Politics and Government: Political Science

Committee Chair

Michaelene Cox

Abstract

China’s rise has been met with both hope and apprehension. However, with its recent actions in the South and East China Seas, surrounding nations are becoming increasingly concerned that China may have expansionist or even hegemonic ambitions. China has taken what many of these countries consider to be aggressive actions in the past several years and months. One of the main questions now is how the surrounding nations, as well as the United States, will react to China’s actions. As of now diplomatic means of failed to resolve the crisis in the South and East China Seas.

This thesis will document the diplomatic means that have been utilized in vain by China’s neighbors before asking whether or not those nations which surround China may choose to form an alliance in order to offset its increasingly aggressive rise. Specifically, we will examine the challenges inherent to forming such an organization in the region and contrast our hypothetical Asian-Pacific alliance with the NATO alliance in Europe. We hope to contribute to the current discussion and literature surrounding the rise of China from a Structural Realist perspective.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2016.Crank.A

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