Korea Times chief editorial writer Shim Jae-yun sat down with Moon Chung-in, the James Laney Distinguished Professor at Yonsei University, on Sunday to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy and its impacts on South Korea and East Asia. The interview was held on the occasion of the publication of Moon’s new book, titled “Why Has U.S. Diplomacy Failed?” […]
Q: America’s alleged retrenchment seems obvious. Which country can replace the U.S. on the world stage? Does China have the capability, intention and political will to play the role of hegemon in sustaining the liberal international order?
A: China has been the greatest beneficiary of the liberal international order, although it has different conceptions of democracy and human rights. Thus, it has every reason to sustain rather than replace it. Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed three global initiatives: global development, security and civilization. I do not see any major contradictions between his initiatives and the liberal international order since Xi emphasizes common development, inclusive, cooperative and collective security and civilizational harmony among different cultural spheres. He pays greater attention to the U.N. and the role of multilateral cooperation. All of these are the prerequisites for the liberal international order.
However, China will be hesitant to undertake hegemonic leadership replacing the U.S. China is almost allergic to the term ”hegemony” as it has long championed an anti-hegemonic stance. China does not have any intention to exercise hegemonic leadership comparable to that of the U.S. Moreover, immense domestic challenges such as a sagging economy, deteriorating income, declining wealth, regional polarization and democratic pressures from below and secessionist movements in the periphery will certainly dampen Xi’s political will to cast hegemonic power. And I don’t think China has the capability to provide public goods essential for the exercise of hegemonic leadership as the U.S. did. China will try to seek evolutionary stability by selectively bandwagoning the liberal international order rather than revoking and replacing it. In that way, China can enjoy more benefits with lower costs. Läs intervjun