Regional Country Studies in China: Comparison, Identification and Innovation

Zhu Feng

    In September  2022, the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council and the Ministry of Education officially announced the establishment of  “regional country studies” as a firstclass discipline, which has provided a strong impetus for Chinese universities and academia to push regional country studies and talent training to a new peak of great development. Combined with the important views in the report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, concerning the combination of education, science and technology and talent innovation, the landing of regional national studies in China will not only bring new enrichment and development of China＇s independent discipline knowledge system, but also provide new support for higher level talent training for the Second Centenary Goal. The discipline nature of China＇s regional country studies is international research. To comprehensively promote the systematic construction, quality improvement and innovation of regional national studies in the national university system, we need to integrate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge systems and academic norms on the basis of the theoretical paradigm, disciplinary basis and academic standards of international relations, learn from the experience of regional country studies in the United States, and combine the existing accumulation of different colleges and universities in the field of regional country studies.

 

Innovation Path of Thinking and Cognition in Regional Country Studies

  Tian Qingli   

    Regional country studies need to achieve cognitive innovation in thinking. It is of great theoretical value to explore the innovative path of deepening regional country studies from the epistemological level. Regional country researchers can provide feasible solutions for human beings to resolve various crises by establishing an overall thinking and conducting academic investigation based on macro perspective, overall consideration and broad vision. Break disciplinary barriers, use interdisciplinary research methods, promote crossborder thinking, achieve cross integration of related disciplines, and then find innovative academic growth points for further promoting regional and national research. Through the organic combination of the longitudinal diachronic development time context and the horizontal synchronic sharing space field, it is conducive to scientific research and judgment on the development trend of research objects with different national conditions and interests. In the face of such complex issues as the everchanging international  situation, emerging  problems in global governance, and the call for  changes in climate change, it is advisable to maintain an open mind, actively respond to the demands of the times, and rely on a solid theoretical foundation, so as to provide assistance for the paradigm shift and method innovation of regional  country studies.

 

Analysis of Maritime Law Enforcement under the Circumstances of Jurisdiction Transfer  

Zhang Yanqiang

   Generally speaking, a State can transfer part of its sovereign rights to an organisation or a country in a cooperative relationship by joining an international organisation or treaty, and share this part of its sovereign rights through participation in cooperation to maximise its national interests. In view of the current situation of the activities of the U.S. Coast Guard in the South China Sea and the impact of the promulgation of China＇s Coast Guard Law, the U.S. is most likely to sign a “Onboard Observers Agreement” with Vietnam and other coastal States in the South China Sea in the future, so as to obtain the jurisdiction of the socalled “exclusive economic zone” and conduct fishery law enforcement activities. In view of the possible new actions of the U.S. in the South China Sea, it is suggested that China should list Vietnam as the key observation object for transferring its socalled “exclusive economic zone” jurisdiction, sign bilateral agreements with States around the South China Sea to carry out friendly cooperation, and improve the supporting measures of the Coast Guard Law, so as to protect China＇s inherent rights and claims in the South China Sea.

 

Contradiction and Preference of Security Interests: Japan＇s Dilemma in Practicing International Law of the Sea  

Zhang Shiao

    In post World War II era, the international law of the sea gradually developed in the context of longterm competition between traditional maritime powers and third world countries. Japan also emphasizes to safeguard its maritime interests through practicing international law of the sea. The conditions faced by Japan in postwar era made it benefit from “freedom of the sea” in maintaining maritime traffic safety, however, made it concerning about “freedom of the sea” at the level of homeland security. For a long time, Japan has weighed its security interests and chose to follow the claims of “freedom of the seas” by traditional maritime powers such as the United States. Meanwhile, Japan has deliberately adopted a strategy of ambiguity with regard to the rules of the international law of the sea involving security interests, in order to maximize its national interests. With the changes in the international situation, this vague strategy adopted by Japan will face greater realistic pressure. At present, although Japan put forward the concept of “rule of law    at sea” in 2014, its strategic difficulties in the practice of international law of the sea still exist, and the interpretation and practice of key rules are still vague and conservative.

 

Principle, Law of Evolution and Assessment of SinoJapanese Relations  

 Jin Yiwen  

   2022 is the year of 50th anniversary of normalization for Sino－Japanese relations. The normalization in 1972 was a “winwin” result of the diplomatic negotiation which highly combined principle and flexibility under the favorable international environment of reconciliation of China and United States. Since the termination of Cold War, international environment, domestic conditions of both countries and the pattern of their mutual interaction have changed greatly so that the bilateral relations entered from the socalled “Honeymoon Period” into the one of readjustment and presented a structural feature of periotic fluctuation. At the beginning of 2020＇s, SinoJapanese relations are in a complex situation. Would the bilateral relations in the future go backwards to the pattern before the normalization or forwards to a new upgraded one? It would be needed to pay more attention for making it clear.

 

An Analysis of the Military Relationship between the United States and Southeast Asia in the Context of  Indo-Pacific Strategy   

Liu Lin

    With the US Indo-Pacific Strategy going deep and further, the strategic value of Southeast Asia is becoming more and more prominent. The military relationship between US and Southeast Asia is an important component of the US Indo-Pacific strategy. The US is steering its Southeast policy with the aim of dealing with China challenge and rebuilding the alliances and partnerships, which directs the development of US military relationship with Southeast Asia. In the context of Indo-Pacific Strategy, the military relationship between US and Southeast Asia presents several new features, such as focusing on improving maritime security capacity of Southeast Asian countries, especially their maritime situational awareness; enhancing the interoperability between US and Southeast Asia; reinforcing the force posture in Southeast Asia by base access agreements and rotational, dynamic deployment; strengthening cooperation in space, cyberspace and grey zone operations; promoting USled military alliance and partnership networks in southeast Asia. If the military relationship between US and Southeast Asia is increasingly enhanced, it will bring negative impacts on the security in the South China Sea.

 

A Study on the Change of Afghanistan and the Future of Taliban from the Perspective of Value added Theory  

Zhang JiJun

    In August 2021, the Taliban in Afghanistan will returned and became the leader of the Afghan regime, 20 years after being overthrown. Under the sudden change of the situation in Afghanistan, the United States has shifted its strategic objectives from “antiterrorism as the center” to “competition among major countries as the center”, and the deeper reason is the result of changes in the domestic political ecology of Afghanistan. Valueadded Theory proposes that the Social Movement is composed of structural favorable conditions, structural tension, formation and dissemination of generalized beliefs, inducement factors, action mobilization of participants and operation of social control. From the perspective of Valueadded Theory, this paper analyzes the reasons for the formation and development of the Taliban in Afghanistan as a Political Islamic Phenomenon and its impact on the region and the international community. Analyzing the reasons for the formation and evolution of the Taliban in Afghanistan＇s political ecology from the perspective of the Valueadded Theory can provide a new interpretation framework and theoretical perspective for analyzing the Taliban＇s ruling prospects and impact on Political Islam.The future development of the Taliban will, to a large extent, affect or even determine the future of Afghanistan, which is also the focus of the international community＇s attention.