The Lost Territory: Glory and Humiliation in China’s Historical Statecraft

• In Event: China's Domestic and Regional Challenges

Abstract

Over the last decades, China has been assertive in its sovereign claim over Taiwan and the disputed island in the South China Sea. China’s official narrative and foreign behavior lead to the following puzzles: how does the Chinese government invoke the feeling the feeling of glory and humiliation in constructing the claim over the indivisible territory? What role does historical statecraft play for a rising power in Asia?
Scholars in international relations have shown how important emotions are to understanding nationalism and assertive foreign behavior, though they have not adequately looked into how an authoritarian regime implements and institutionalizes the political narrative and collective memory of its lost territories. This study proposes a framework of historical statecraft to examine the role of the Chinese government, including the party-state apparatus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Education in framing major events, such as the loss of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the maritime disputes in the South China Sea.
First, it unpacks the notion of indivisible territories in China’s rhetoric, and it investigates public statements from the top leadership, high-level diplomats, and government officials. Second, it analyzes how China’s neighbors respond to its narrative on the lost territories. Based on media coverage, policy reports, and official statements from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Vietnam, this work highlights how they propose counter-framing strategies to Beijing’s sovereign claims. Finally, it offers policy implications for countries in the Asia Pacific region.

Author

• Christina Lai, Academia Sinica