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How about "Defining China's Sovereignty"

Aleš Karmazin
Metropolitan University Prague
Aleš Karmazin
Metropolitan University Prague

Abstract

This paper aims to show China's practice of sovereignty as a systematic and comprehensive effort to maintain own political space where China keeps control over meaning of norms and political concepts. The paper is based on two arguments. The first one is based on a theoretical reassessment of sovereignty. The paper aims to show sovereignty as an institution which needs to be governed and managed. This governance or management of sovereignty can be maintained by different strategies and it can differ in particular cases. The second argument explores Chinese understanding of political realm and the way how sovereignty should be controlled within the political realm. Such a way of thinking about China and sovereignty nexus seems to provide a new and challenging perspective to the previous research. By re-evaluating and re-assessment of norms which are introduced by international society and which organize a meaning of sovereignty and/or a conduct of a sovereign, China manifests its sovereign authority. Moreover, China's attempts to create new conceptions of norms with ´Chinese characteristics´ seems to be very systematic and constant. It is a peculiar feature of the way how to cope with the issue and institution of sovereignty. It is possible to find Chinese endeavour to reassess norms and concepts in many cases (like human rights, environmental protection, humanitarian intervention or even global order, international justice, globalization). In all the cases, China expresses its own view on meaning of the norms and concepts. It tries to reshape them into a new form. Moreover, it seems China is not primarily interested in particular norms but rather in keeping control over concepts as such.