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International Cooperation Between Local Governments In China Under The Background Of Globalization

Posted on:2013-02-27Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:L J WangFull Text:PDF
GTID:1116330374480760Subject:International politics
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
International cooperation between local governments has developed under the background of globalization. Globalization has caused diffusion of national authority to supranational authority, sub-national actors, and social behavior bodies, which has laid foundation of international cooperation between local governments. Globalization also makes international politics appear integration-fragmentation characteristics, and provides an important opportunity for international cooperation between local governments as well. The progress of the transportation technology and the information technology, the profound adjustment of the international structure and global security structure, the decentralization trend, and the localization of transnational corporation provide an important power for the international cooperation between local governments. In China, international cooperation between local governments has become very common. How to explain the historic background and the power of it? What relations between it and the central government' foreign diplomatic behavior is? What is its influence on the central government'foreign diplomatic behavior? And what is the profound impact on the mode of central-local relation? As the local government become an important role in the international society, how to explain its impact on the international relation, especially how to coordinate the relation with the central government? This dissertation tries to answer these questions.At present, the theory of bifurcated structure of world politics, the neo-medievalism theory, parallel diplomatic theory, multilayer diplomatic theory and region theory of state, have studied this problem from different angles. The influences of international behaviors of local governments and the new changes of local governments appear on international stage have provided a good base for the study on international cooperation of local governments. In China, there are different perspectives of governance, city diplomacy, localization and so on for the study on international cooperation of local governments. This dissertation provides a comprehensive angle based on those questions. As the international cooperation between local governments has a non-sovereign nature, the analytic structure of this phenomenon is, the current international system has become a mode of nation-center, the central and local levels interactive with each other in international relations. The profound impact on the central government'diplomacy, to the central-local relation, to the international system is the main subject of this study.The hypothesis of this dissertation is, although the international cooperation between local governments in China has become a very important historic phenomenon, but it is limited in the low-level political areas. The international cooperation between local governments has promoted the locals'economic and social development, and has done a positive role to the central government'diplomacy. But the international cooperation between local governments has also challenged the central-local relation and the central'governance. So how to interact well with the central government in the international system is a very important thing for the local governments.The international cooperation between local governments in China has developed in the background of Chinese participation in the international system. After the Cold War, the international structure has changed profoundly, while Chinese judgment and expectation of the global security structure have also changed to a peaceful direction, which provides an important base to the international cooperation between local governments in China. Since the late twenty seventies, the reform with a core of decentralization in China provides a political and legal support to the local governments to participate in international affairs. Especially the adjustment in the economic rights and financial power division provided an important power to the local governments. The opening strategy has also directly promoted the prosperity of local governments'behavior to expand international cooperation. The author review the southeast, northeast, northwest, southwest region in China, and chose four most typical local' international cooperation in these four regions-the international cooperation of Guangdong province, the Tu-men River international cooperation development mechanism, China-Asia Expo, GMS mechanisms of international cooperation to analyze the international cooperation between local governments in China. Through these analyses, the author got a preliminary conclusion. That is, the local governments'international cooperation in China is dominated by the central government, and is limited in the low-level politics such as the economic and social development, it has promoted the local'economic power, and has done a positive role to the central government' diplomacy. China's diplomacy has appeared multi-dimensional changes. But it has also some contradiction with the central government' diplomacy. So how to coordinate well with each other in the international relations to strength themselves becomes a new problem.Start form these analysis, the author chose the friendly provinces (state) leaders' summit to do a case study. Shandong province is the only one local government which involves in this mechanism in the Asian region, so the author analyzes its international cooperation, the international friendly cities, and its foreign trade. These are also the bases of its participation to this mechanism. Then, the author analyzes the creation and development of this mechanism, Shandong province's policy positions, the major cooperation issues, and so on. From these analyses, the author finds the typical local international cooperation mechanism has appeared the characteristic of non-sovereign, are limited in the low-level politics. It helps to promote the power and international influence of Shandong. The mechanism also proves that the local governments have become an important force in international affairs.Finally, the author gives a theoretical summary and reflection, and draws a basic conclusion of this dissertation. International cooperation between local governments in China has profoundly influenced Chinese diplomacy. It has played a positive role to China' neighboring diplomacy, and promoted to a multi-dimensional pattern of foreign affairs dealing. It has also deeply impacted the mode of the central-local relations in China, and may challenge the central macro-governance. Of cause, this is a very complex question and needs our next deep study; especially on how to coordinate the central and local governments' activities well on the international platform, and make a more rational foreign work structure and more scientific central-local relation.
Keywords/Search Tags:Globalization, Local government, International cooperation
PDF Full Text Request
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