Security Viewpoint Of Defensive Realism And The Inspiration On China's Security Strategy

So quick is the advance of technology and so dramatic is the change of the world that the globe can really be called a "global village" now. The boundary between countries has not been blurred with more and more people crossing the border, however, it is more distinct in fact. State has been strengthened while has been weakening in the era of globalization. The Rising China will have to live in an environment of international anarchy, which means that she will have to consider security issues as before. The guidance of theories is an indispensable condition of making out of a security strategy conforming to objective situation. Therefore it is a pressing demand of the day to learn from theories of western countries so as to serve for security strategy of our own country.Through historic analysis and comparison, this paper disapproves of obstinate realism as well as naive neoliberalism, but holds in esteem an experienced and prudent defensive realism with flexibility, which could give us some useful guidance on security strategy of our country.The paper contains three sections:Section one: The defensive realism and its security outlook. Above of all, the paper briefly introduces the developing sequence of the realism, including classic realism, neorealism or structural realism, and neoclassic realism, offensive realism, and defensive realism. Then summarizes its main viewpoints on security: First, international anarchy exists extensively as a fact, and international political power is the determining factor. State is a rational agent, and is nearly the only one important agent in international politics; Second, security dilemma can not be eliminated thoroughly but can be mitigated to some extent; Third, hegemonic stability is one of conditions of peace; Fourth, military power and alignment are means to attain nation's goals; Fifth,international security cooperation is an necessary and important way of self-help as well as the balance of power; Sixth, the chief goal of state is security, not power; Seventh, state is concerned with not only relative gains but also absolute gains; Eighth, security is adequate in international system, and the optimal way to achieve security is to adopt a defensive strategy; Ninth, cognitive factors have important effects on nation's strategy; Tenth, there is no inevitable cause and effect relation between the rising of new great power and war, etc.Section two: Realities and unreality of the security viewpoints of defensive realism. Realities of security viewpoints of defensive realism are: First, it admits international anarchy exists as a fact; Second, it admits security dilemma exists extensively, which cannot be eliminated thoroughly while can be mitigated in some degree; Third, it holds that international institutions can play positive role in security area; Fourth, cognitive factors have effects on nation's strategy; Fifth, defensive realism denies there is inevitable cause and effect relation between the rising of new great power and war, etc. At last, the paper states briefly the unreality of the defensive realism, and points out that hegemonic stability does not mean peace and security.Section three: Inspiration of security viewpoints of defensive realism on China's security strategy, which is the keystone of the paper. Firstly, through analyzing the times and the international situation, in which the developing countries have been pursuing peace while very few countries have been seeking stability of unipolarity hegemony. Therefore peace and development are still two main problems to be dealt with. China will have to meet challenge of three security issues, i.e., suspicion, precaution and containment of great powers, disputes on territory and sea, secessionists of Taiwan and Tibet, and "Eastern Turkistan", which could not be coped with successfully in neoliberalism way or with backward construction of national defense of our country. We will have to strengthen construction of our national defense if we want to copesuccessfully with these problems in a...