The Rise of China’s Structural Power in Southeast Asia: A Philippine Perspective

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Editing / Microsoft Office Suite / Policy Analysis / Research / Writing

This research paper was the final major assignment for my POLI 366 International Political Economy class. In this research paper, I utilized Susan Strange's Four Structures of Power as a theoretical framework to analyze the rise of Chinese influence and power in Southeast Asia. Using my home country (the Philippines) as a case study, I examined how contemporary Chinese foreign policy has led to geopolitical tensions in four structures of power: security, production, finance, and knowledge.

Using the Philippines as my overarching case study, I then researched and analyzed four "mini case studies" within Sino-Philippine interstate relations to represent each structure of power:

  1. For security, I provided a nuanced discussion of the controversial territorial disputes in the South China Sea, contextualizing the Philippine response in contrast to policies undertaken by other Southeast Asian states regarding the same issue.
  2. For the production structure of power, I analyzed the implications China's Belt and Road Initiative in the Philippines, and how it entangles with the Philippines' response to the South China Sea issue.
  3. Thirdly, I analyzed two major Chinese financial flows into the Philippines: 1) The flight of flexible capital through the POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) industry; and 2) Capital flows officially backed by the Chinese-state.
  4. Finally, I investigated how Chinese-produced telecommunications technology (i.e., Huawei's 5G network) and disinformation campaigns were seriously impacting the Philippines' knowledge structures, especially in the context of elections.

Combined, these four structures of power case studies built a narrative of a building geopolitical power shift in Southeast Asia and globally as the Philippines attempts to balance the line between two major superpowers: the U.S. and China. A complete copy of my research paper is available here: The Rise of China's Structural Power in Southeast Asia - A Philippine Perspective

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Learning Significance

  1. This paper gave experience in writing a long and comprehensive research paper. It gave me deep exposure to Southeast Asian geopolitics. The research I conducted for this paper also developed my thought process around how economics, technology and business are inextricably interconnected with complex international politics. I also further developed my technical research skills using academic sources in the UBC Library and by utilizing Microsoft Word and the Mendeley Reference Manager platform.

    Finally, I credit this paper with helping me get a job as a Junior Research Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APFC). This paper is what caught the attention of the class teaching assistant (who was then the Program Manager of the Digital Asia Research Pillar at APFC). Our conversations around this paper led to an offer for publication and subsequently a part-time and then full-time research position at APFC.