GEOPOLITICS, HEGEMONY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA –EXTRACTING THE MAIN BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS
GEOPOLITICS, HEGEMONY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA –EXTRACTING THE MAIN BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS

Summary/Abstract: This paper is intended to explore the interrelation between geopolitics, hegemony and international relations in the South China Sea, tackling China's relations with the Southeast Asian states and, to a broader regional level, with ASEAN – the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The main focus of the paper will be to analyse how China's charm offensive will stand the test of hard security issues like territorial sovereignty and the insatiable Chinese energy thirst. Considering this, the counter-balancing act of the United States will be integrated in the equation. The apprehensions of some Southeast Asian states caused by China's rise will be balanced. In the multi-layered game of geopolitics- hegemony- international relations, the paper will be seeking to render the most stable model of behaviour for the region, taking into account all the stakehoulders involved. The paper will not be trying to reveal the dichotomic division: states pro-China and states pro-US does not always verify, but rather how the status of US as a supporting player will still be highest in the rank of importance as far extra-regional relations are concerned. The purpose of the paper will not be to draw upon the precedence of a certain component of geopolitics-hegemony-international relations equation over the other, but to highlight how this interconnection can predict the behavior of the actors involved.

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