Study On The Geo-role Of Buffer States In The Process Of The Transformation Of The International System

At present,the transformation of the international system is accelerating,the geopolitical game between major powers is intensifying,and the international security situation is full of uncertainty.With this background,the buffer state is regarded as both a peaceful zone for easing conflicts and an arena for aggravating conflicts between major powers.There are always disagreements and debates about its geopolitical role in the academic circles.Given on this,this study attempts to analyze the geographical role of buffer states in the process of international system transformation.As far as its academic value is concerned,the first is to surpass the traditional western international relations theory debate on the dual opposition of the geopolitical role of buffer states,and to construct an analytical framework for the dynamic changes of the geopolitical role of buffer states based on the theory and history,so as to make up for the long-term neglect of this problem in domestic academic circles.The second is to enrich the path research of great powers game in the process of the transformation of the international system.Finally,there is a study on the geographical role of buffer states and their strategic vulnerability and autonomy,which further enriches the study of small states.As far as its practical value is concerned,on the one hand,it is to systematically study the geopolitical role of buffer states and realize that buffer states can alleviate the intensity of the great powers’ game to a certain extent,which has certain enlightenment for China on how to maintain the peace among major powers.On the other hand,it is to deeply explore the game mode of major powers,and be alert to some major powers supporting China’s ethnic separatist forces in the name of establishing buffer states and buffer zones,undermining China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.The hypothesis of this study is that the existence of buffer states can maintain great power peace to some extent,and to a certain extent will exacerbate great power conflicts.Firstly,the state of the great power relations in the buffer system is determined on the basis of the typological division of the great power relations(balance and unbalance)and the great power strategic relations(antagonism and concurrence),the geopolitical identity of the buffer state shifts correspondingly between the peace zone,the battleground,the sphere of influence and the strategic depth,and its geopolitical role also shifts between maintaining great-power peace and exacerbating great-power conflict dynamically.Secondly,during the transition from the Vienna system to the Yalta system(1871-1945),three buffer states,Afghanistan(1873-1917),Siam(1896-1918)and Poland(1918-1945)were chosen to test the hypothesis.And based on comparative case analysis,this paper explores the impact of the nature and stages of the transformation of the international system,changes of international norms,differences in geographical factors,the level of national governance,and differences in the security logic of land power and sea power on the geographical role of buffer states.Finally,it deeply analyzes the characteristics of great powers’ game in the process of international system transition and the dual geo-role of buffer states.The main findings of this study are as follows: first,great powers’ game has always been the essential feature of the transformation of international system.In the process of the transformation from the Vienna system to the Yalta system,great powers’ game has three characteristics: the great powers’ game is dominated by the structural contradiction between hegemonic and rising powers,the great powers’ game shifts from the periphery of power to the core of power,the great powers’ game changes from competition and cooperation to antagonism.Second,the buffer state has the dual role of maintaining the peace of the great powers and aggravating the conflicts between the great powers.The buffer state and the buffered states together constitute a geo-security structure,also known as the buffer system.Among them,the power comparison of major powers is mainly based on the spatial dimension of power distribution,while the strategic relationship between major powers focuses on the time dimension of power interaction.Therefore,in the buffer system,when the buffer state acts as the peace zone and sphere of influence in the game of great powers,it mainly plays the geographical role of maintaining the peace of the great powers;when the buffer state acts as the battleground and strategic depth of the great powers game,it mainly plays the geopolitical role of aggravating the conflicts between the great powers.In the last case,the buffer state has been divided up or annexed by the great powers,thus losing its status and role as a buffer state.Third,although the development of science and technology weakens the objective security value of the buffer state,it strengthens the subjective security value of the buffer state.In a word,the geopolitical role of buffer states in wartime began to weaken,and the geopolitical role in peacetime became more prominent.