An examination of foreign policy strategies of middle powers during great competition: a case study of Thailand's strategic hedging between a dominant USA and ascending China
An examination of foreign policy strategies of middle powers during great competition: a case study of Thailand's strategic hedging between a dominant USA and ascending China
Files (excerpt)
Published date
2019
Resource type
Publisher
ISBN
ISSN
DOI
Call no.
Other identifier(s)
Edition
Copyrighted date
Language
eng
File type
application/pdf
Extent
18 pages
Other title(s)
Authors
Advisor
Other Contributor(s)
Citation
Assumption University-eJournal of Interdisciplinary Research (AU-eJIR): Vol. 4. Issue.1 (January 2019), 19-36
Degree name
Degree level
Degree discipline
Degree department
Degree grantor
Abstract
Recent years has seen confusion in the international political system as the hegemony
of the U.S. has waned while China’s international influence has dramatically increased. This
change to the status quo from a unipolar system immediately after the Cold War to a bipolar or
multipolar system has compelled states in the Asia region to formulate strategies in response to
this change. The three typical strategies available to a state are what is referred to as
bandwagoning, balancing, and this article’s focus; hedging. In the case of Thailand, being
relatively far removed from the epicentre of any future confrontation between Washington and
Beijing, the state has options as to how it will approach the upcoming change in the regional
power distribution. This essay intends to analyse the foreign policy strategy of Bangkok from early
2012 to the contemporary period to determine whether trends have emerged that may illustrate
the direction of its foreign policy in the near future. By examining recent hardware purchase
diversification, public statements, and the changing nature of military exercises between Thailand
and the USA and Thailand and China, it is possible to make the conclusion that Thailand has
adopted a hedging policy. This essay will explore how Thailand has moved beyond the traditional
Thai-U.S. Alliance that lasted for most of the Cold War and is now entering into a more pragmatic
position where overt allegiance is less public than before, prompting questions and possibly
suspicion from both great powers in the near future.
Table of contents
Description
punsarn.dc.description.sponsorship
Spatial Coverage
Keyword(s)
Rights
This work is protected by copyright. Reproduction or distribution of the work in any format is prohibited without written permission of the copyright owner.