WIAS Visiting Researcher Seminar: “The Chinese Way of World Order-Making and Shaping ” (6/4)
Abstract
This presentation will be largely based on the following journal article:
- “The Chinese Way of World Order-Making and Shaping: The Russo-Ukrainian War as a Test and an Opportunity,” Journal of Contemporary China, 2026, https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2026.2622656
How has China responded to the Russo-Ukrainian War, and what does this response reveal about its strategic approach to international security order? Moving beyond the binary characterization of China’s position as simply “pro-Russia,” this article argues that Beijing’s conduct represents a calculated ambivalence designed to reshape the global distribution of power while minimizing direct costs. By examining China’s behavior across five critical issue domains—intelligence failures regarding the invasion, the refusal to provide lethal aid, the maintenance of economic lifelines, opposition to nuclear use, and a “stability-first” peace diplomacy—the analysis clarifies the specific boundaries of Chinese support. The findings demonstrate that while China verbally champions the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, its practice prioritizes the preservation of Russia as a counterweight to American hegemony. Ultimately, the war reveals that China’s vision of order-making is fundamentally instrumental: its interest in altering the global balance of power supersedes its commitment to the system’s core principles when the two are in conflict.
Speaker
YANG, Xiangfeng (Associate Professor, Department of Government & International Affairs, Lingnan University, Hong Kong SAR)
Date&Time
June 4, 2026 (Thu.) 17:00 – 19:00
Venue
Room #805, Building #3, Waseda Campus, Waseda University
Prospected Audience
Students, Graduate students, Faculty members, Research members, General Participants
Language
English
Organizer
Waseda Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS)
Coordinator: TANAKA, Takahiko（Professor, Faculty of Political Science and Economics, School of Political Science and Economics）
Registration
Pre-registration not required.
