ABSTRACTS

3 A New Start for Sino-Japanese Relations Now At 50: Towards Relations Suited for the New Era

by Yang Bojiang,Hu Jiping,Hu Lingyuan,Huang Dahui&Ding Hongwei

【Abstract】It has been nearly 50 years since China and Japan normalized diplomatic relations.Over the past five decades,the two sides have made remarkable progress in the areas of trade and investment,technological and cultural exchanges,and environmental cooperation through seeking common ground and enhancing mutual understanding and mutual trust.However,there are also constant frictions over history,territorial issues,and the Taiwan question.What has held Sino-Japanese relations back? How should we build more healthy Sino-Japanese relations? At this critical moment,it is important to reflect on the past 50 years of Sino-Japanese relations so as to draw useful experiences.In doing so,it is clear that building Sino-Japanese relations suited to the new era means staying true to the original aspiration of the diplomatic normalization,taking a longterm approach by strengthening strategic dialogue and building good political ties,and promoting practical common interests through cooperation.Approaching bilateral relations this way is not just consistent with the interests of the people of both countries,but also conducive to peace and stability in Asia and beyond.To help unpack this complex set of issues,the editorial board of International Forum has invited renowned experts,both from China and overseas,to share their take on the history,influencing factors and challenges of Sino-Japanese relations,Sino-Japanese maritime issues,Japan’s perceptions of China,and environmental cooperation between the two countries.Presented below is a selection of some of their views.

【Key Words】Sino-Japanese relations,normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan,Japan,China’s diplomacy with Japan,Sino-Japanese maritime issues,a maritime community with a shared future,environmental ODA,environmental cooperation

34 States’ Climate Governance Capacity: Concept,Indicators and Assessment

by Wang Zhuangzhuang&Richard Balme

【Abstract】States are key forces in global climate governance,and state capacity is what really matters for effectively addressing climate change.Although the United Nations (UN)climate regime has always called for stronger capacity building,research progress on states’climate governance capacity has been slow,and how to define and measure it remains to be explored.To this end,this paper first defines states’ climate governance capacity by combining three concepts,namely climate change,state capacity and global governance,and then builds a new standardized framework for assessing the climate governance capacity of 196 country parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change between 2015 and 2020.Addressing the three aspects in the establishment and improvement of the UN climate regime—norm setting,implementation and compliance,and action effectiveness,this evaluation framework measures countries in terms of 5 dimensions (intellectual contribution,contribution to treaty negotiation,level of governance,governance tools and effectiveness),using a total of 14 basic indicators that take into account comprehensiveness and balance,process and outcome,dynamic changes and static effects.This framework is then used to assess the capacity of all the countries during the transition of the UN climate regime from the “Kyoto model” to the “Paris model” with latest data from international institutions such as the UN,the World Bank and the International Renewable Energy Agency.The results show that countries in Western Europe,Northern Europe,East Asia and North America had strong climate governance capability; emerging economies were very close to the United States and Western Europe in terms of setting international norms; Small Island developing countries,despite a few good performers among them,generally ranked low overall,similar to most of the least developed countries.This research provides new perspective,concept and method for horizontal and vertical comparisons of different countries’participation in global climate governance.

【Key words】climate governance,state capacity,global governance,setting international norms,implementation and compliance

61 Space Governance: Contending Proposals,Cooperation Dilemma,and Implications for the Future

by He Qisong&Huang Jianyu

【Abstract】Space governance is an important area of global governance.The rules of space governance established in the Cold War era served to maintain the USSoviet bipolar dominance in space and built a global space order favorable to the two superpowers.However,with the post-Cold War proliferation of space technology,the Cold War-era rules could not meet the challenges of the commercialization,weaponization and military utilization of space.In response,several space governance proposals have been made by state and non-state actors,within or outside the UN framework.These proposals mainly revolve around the issues of space arms control and peaceful use of space.The competition for space governance rules,however,is ultimately an attempt by state actors to seek a space order that is beneficial to them.The establishment of UN-led multilateral,multi-level,fair and equitable space governance is the basis for building a stable global space order and is conducive to the construction of a community with a shared future in space.

【Key Words】space governance,rules of space,space order,community of shared future for mankind in space

85 The Diffusion and Alienation of Human Rights Norms

by Shan Xiulei&Liu Changming

【Abstract】As the “right to have rights” that people are entitled to,human rights constitute a basic norm of modern international society.However,since there is inconsistency between human rights norms and their materiality,human rights have been misused by some countries as a tool for political,economic,or ideological struggle.This article puts forward the concept of “norm alienation” to explain this phenomenon.While the social,constructivist turn in existing research on norm diffusion has somehow ignored material factors,this article argues that norm alienation,which is a combination of the social and material properties of norms,is the product of the mutual construction of the norm advocate’s values and preferences and its self-interested goals.In the process of their diffusion,human rights norms were distorted by norm advocates consisting mostly of Western countries: based on their value preferences,Western countries substituted norms informed by liberal values for the international society’s collective expectations,causing localized human rights norms and practices based on local civilization and values to be ignored or even criticized.Due to the West’s self-interested moves,human rights have degenerated from the moral standards expressing the common aspirations of the international society into a tool at the service of some western countries,which can be used to provide cover for free markets and global liberal hegemony.

【Key Words】human rights,norm diffusion,norm alienation

109 The Dilemma of Iranian Nuclear Decision-making: Elite Factionalism,Nuclear Debate and Policy Adjustment

by Tu Xiliang&Fang Yuxin

【Abstract】Although Iran has a complete decision-making system in place since the outbreak of the Iranian nuclear crisis,Ayatollah Ali Khamenai,the Supreme Leader of Iran who possesses the right of final decision,can only make the final decision after taking into account the positions of various domestic players and a tedious process of consultation with relevant domestic institutions.Instead of being completely driven by state interests,Iranian nuclear decision-making depends on the political struggles and bargaining among different institutions and political elites.Given their different policy preferences,the Iranian political elites are divided into three factions: nuclear supporters,centrists and detractors.In the Iranian domestic balance of power,the nuclear supporters and detractors generally constitute the political mainstream and have thus for years competed for dominance in the nuclear issue.After US withdrawal from the JCPOA and the assassination of Qasem Soleimani,the differences between nuclear supporters and nuclear centrists become more pronounced,intensifying the domestic nuclear debate which has lasted for nearly twenty years.As the balance of power among various factions changes,their nuclear policy preferences are likely to have an impact on Khamenai’s decision to varying degrees,thus also on the direction of Iranian nuclear policy and the prospect of the JCPOA.Therefore,since Khamenai can only cautiously maintain a tenuous balance among various factions,this leads to Iran’s dilemma in nuclear decisionmaking that it faces at present.The country’s irreparable factional divisions are still one of the main barriers for it to return to the negotiation table.

【Key Words】the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action,factional politics,nuclear debate,Iran nuclear issue

136 The Adjustment of South Korea’s Foreign Economic Cooperation Policy Under the China-US Strategic Competition: A Middle Power Perspective

by Lv Ping&Jin Xiangdan

【Abstract】Confronted with the increasingly intensified China-US strategic competition,South Korea has tried to adjust its eco nomic cooperation policy in line with its status as a “middle power.” Driven by considerations of achieving economic autonomy,consolidating industrial advantages and maintaining regional influence,South Korea has worked hard to adapt to its asymmetric dependence on China and the United States,accelerated domestic technological innovation to hedge against China’s possible technological catching up and overtaking,and sharpened its role as a fulcrum in regional cooperation.However,since it is not able to influence the direction of the China-US competition,its strategy of using the US-ROK alliance as a chip against China will only be of limited use and even harm its economic cooperation with China.The continued cooperation between China and South Korea is rooted in close economic ties and extensive common interests.Despite signs of the Yoon Seok-youl government’s tilt toward the United States,South Korea is unable to ignore China’s significant economic influence,and will remain attracted to the Chinese market.Going forward,China and South Korea would do better to further tap the Chinese market,strengthen bilateral supply chain cooperation,and take effective measures to minimize the US interference in China-ROK economic cooperation.

【Key Words】China-US competition,South Korea,foreign economic cooperation policy,China-ROK economic cooperation