The Historical Process Of China’s Environmental Diplomacy After The Cold War

This thesis aims to study the historical process of China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war. By analyzing this research object through such methods as historical analysis, comparative analysis, and systematic analysis, it summarizes two specific features of China’s environmental diplomacy: the backwardness of domestic environmental improvement with respect to environmental diplomacy and the asynchronism between China’s and international environmental diplomacy in the same period. Therefore, it clarifies the historical position of China’s environmental diplomacy from the end of cold war to the time being, stating that China’s environmental diplomacy was actually experiencing substantial development and strategic transition during this period. Then, after exploring the restraining factors, the opportunities for development, and the strategic reconstruction of China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war, all of which consist in the issue of its strategic transition in the post-cold war era.While the focal point of this thesis is the historical process of China’s environmental diplomacy, the interactive relationships between China’s environmental diplomacy and the international environmental regime, and between that and domestic environmental management, are also important research points. In this thesis, the historical process of China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war is divided into three stages: the review stage, the reflection stage, and the prospect stage. The first stage is about reviewing the past, or specifically, discussing the historical process in which China’s environmental diplomacy integrated into the international environmental regime and in which the domestic environmental management system was established. The second stage is of reflection, upon the current situations, including the present position and limitations of China’s environmental diplomacy in the international environmental regime and the domestic environmental management system. The prospect stage targets the future, which involves the role shift and repositioning of China’s environmental diplomacy while the international environmental regime and the domestic environmental management are changing. In the end, the thesis expounds the systematic construction of China’s environmental diplomacy in the post-cold war period.The basic structure of this thesis is as follows:In the introduction part, it introduces the theoretical and realistic significance of the topic, the research status of this topic both at home and abroad, the research methods employed in the study, and the innovations of this thesis. Then, it makes definitions of several basic concepts such as environmental diplomacy, international regime, and domestic management.In the first chapter, it reviews the development of China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war as a whole, divides the historical process into several stages, and presents the main characteristics of China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war and the periodic achievements it has made. Then it is concluded that a basic framework has been established for China’s environmental diplomacy, driving it to a substantial stage of development. Therefore, China’s environmental diplomacy has obtained the ability to communicate with the world and it is completely ready to undergo strategic transition.In the second chapter, it intensively reflects on the factors restraining the development of China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war. By combining the history and the reality, it discusses biased theories like“China Threat to Environment”and“China Responsibility for Environment”, and the problem of green barriers, which explain the restrictions of China’s environmental diplomacy in the field of international environment. Consequently, it shows the domestic restraints from the angles of domestic environmental management and foreign policy securities and sums up the inherent problems and defects of China’s environmental diplomacy by focusing on the congenital conditions and ability building. Then it demonstrates of the severe situation of China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war.In the third chapter, it proposes strategic prospects for the development opportunities of China’s environmental development after the cold war and emphasizes the necessity of the systematic reconstruction of China’s environmental diplomacy strategies. From the perspective of the interactions between domestic and foreign affairs, and by applying the analyticial structure of the double game theory, it analyses the historical opportunities for China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war in view of both the international environment and the domestic situation. It also elaborates that China’s role in the field of international environment has improved after the cold war and that environmental issues are becoming more and more important for the economic development and the diplomatic transition, which means that China’s environmental diplomacy has transformed from its marginal role into a mainstream role in the diplomatic structure of China.In the fourth chapter, it concentrates on the systematic reconstruction of China’s environmental diplomacy after the cold war. On the basis of summarizing historical experience and analyzing current limitations, it discusses the feasibility of the strategic breakthrough of China’s environmental diplomacy, suggesting that China should attach great importance to and enhance the status of environmental diplomacy in its foreign strategies and systematically construct the development strategies for its environmental diplomacy from such perspectives as role positioning, strategic adjustment, policy stimulation, intellectual support, ability building, and domestic security, so that China can achieve a positive interaction between domestic and foreign affairs, ensure the sustainable development of its economy in the 21st century, and open up green space for its peaceful rise.In the conclusion part, it draws a conclusion from the entire thesis that under the complicated circumstances where the interest structure of international environment in the post-cold war period has been readjusted, and where China is undergoing economic growth and diplomatic strategic transformation, China should immediately modify its national position and diplomatic policies concerning environment, systematically establish development strategies for China’s environmental diplomacy, and thus value and promote the strategic role of environmental diplomacy in China’s diplomatic transition. Finally, in accordance with China’s domestic environmental management and the current situation of international environment, it further states the urgency and realistic significance of the strategic breakthrough of China’s environmental diplomacy.