Defence of the Principle of Sovereignty as a Means of Global Power Socialization: The Case of China’s Global Assertiveness

Over the last several years, particularly since Xi Jinping’s second term as the Secretary General of the Chinese Communist Party, it has been obvious that China was gradually boosting its global ambitions and presence. This was done mostly by the economic and financial tools, including initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The newest period brought substantial changes to this strategy, revealing comprehensive proposals of global transformation. According to Chinese officials’ notions, what makes these conceptions distinctively Chinese and explicitly universal at the same time is insistence on the principles of sovereignty and non-violation of internationally legalized borders. This is framed as a stark contrast to post-Cold War foreign policy behavior of the US, which is presented as having a corrosive effect on the sovereignty principle, whether it was formulated on the left (e.g. R2P) or on the right (e.g. GWOT) of the ideological spectrum. As it rapidly boosted its domestic political and material capabilities, China attained the potential and self-confidence to challenge what it perceives as a malevolent form of US hegemony by engaging not only in internal, but also external balancing. It was thus prompted to abandon its previous long-lasting posture of staying out of international issues which do not concern its immediate and vital interests. Instead, it seeks numerous partnerships and participation in international arrangements, and signals firm intent for extensive involvement in global processes which go far beyond issues of trade and economy. Only in February 2023, China published three strategic documents which attest to such a shift: a piece titled “US Hegemony and Its Perils”; Global Security Initiative concept paper; and Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis. Previously, the country’s top diplomat Wang Yi attended the Munich Security Conference and delivered a keynote speech which also had the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity at its crux. Chinese foreign policy officials have repeatedly indicated that China is yet to fully understand what it means to be a member of great powers’ club. Relying on qualitative analysis, we engage in process tracing to identify the crucial features of Chinese global posture shifts. We develop the concept of global power socialization, building on, as well as going beyond, the traditional concepts of socialization in IR as put forth by Kenneth Waltz and Alexander Wendt. It goes to demonstrate that the newest phase ofChina’s international assertiveness, and prominence of the sovereignty principle therein, is not necessarily tied to any specific foreign policy objectives or issues, but to learning to be a great power and act according to the rules of major global actors. In other words, aspiration to shape the rules which underpin the international system is a separate issue from achieving the status which enables a country to do so. The consequence of such an interpretation may be that invoking of the sovereignty principle might not figure as prominently in China’s global posture once it begins perceiving itself as a full-fledged great power, equal to peers and rivals.