David C. Kang, a professor at the Korean Studies Institute at USC and co-author of "Beyond Power Transitions," explores how imperial China's history informs current East Asian geopolitics. He discusses the concept of great power peace in East Asia compared to Europe’s conflicts. Kang delves into the implications of historical interactions, why certain territories were conquered while others were not, and the potential for avoiding war in the Taiwan Strait. He also examines contemporary responses to China's rise and challenges the inevitability of a U.S.-China conflict.
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insights INSIGHT
East Asian Peace
East Asian states, after forming around the end of the first millennium, experienced remarkably few wars of land grabs.
This contrasts sharply with the frequent warfare seen in European history.
question_answer ANECDOTE
The Fall of the Song Dynasty
The Song Dynasty, despite being remarkably powerful and resourceful, was conquered by the Mongols.
This was due to internal strife and miscalculations, rather than a simple power transition.
insights INSIGHT
Common Conjecture
Shared culture and language facilitated stability in East Asia, especially among China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.
These countries possessed a 'common conjecture', understanding each other's values and behaviors, unlike China's relations with nomadic groups to its west.
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Rhetoric and Ritual in Early Chosŏn Diplomacy with Ming China
Sixiang Wang
This book demonstrates how Chosŏn political actors strategically deployed cultural practices, values, and narratives to carve out a place for Korea within the Ming imperial order. It draws on classical Chinese paradigms of statecraft, political legitimacy, and cultural achievement, and shows how Korea’s rulers and diplomats inserted Chosŏn into the Ming Empire’s legitimating strategies. The book recasts a critical period of Sino-Korean relations through the Korean perspective, emphasizing Korean agency in the making of East Asian international relations.
Shoal of Time
A History of the Hawaiian Islands
Gavan Daws
In 'Shoal of Time: A History of the Hawaiian Islands,' Gavan Daws provides a detailed and engaging history of Hawaii. The book covers the islands' early Polynesian settlement, the impact of European and American contact, the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, and the subsequent annexation by the United States. Daws's work is renowned for its thorough research and insightful analysis, making it a valuable resource for understanding the complex and rich history of Hawaii.
Beyond Power Transitions
U.S.-China Relations and International Order
Xinru Ma
David C. Kang
Beyond the Bronze Pillars
Liam Kelly
How has Chinese hegemony shaped power relations in East Asia? Why did imperial China conquer Tibet and Xinjiang but not Vietnam or Korea? Can learning from history help maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait?
Today’s interview begins with one shocking truth — while medieval Europe suffered under near-constant war, East Asia’s Middle Ages were defined by great power peace.
To discuss, ChinaTalk interviewed Professor David C. Kang, director of the Korean Studies Institute at USC and co-author of Beyond Power Transitions: The Lessons of East Asian History and the Future of U.S.-China Relations.
We discuss…
How East Asian nations managed to peacefully coexist for centuries,
Why lessons from European history don’t always apply in non-European contexts,
Why wars begin and how they can be avoided,
How to interpret outbreaks of violence in Asia — including conflicts with the Mongols, China’s meddling in Vietnam, and Japan’s early attempts at empire,
State behaviors that cannot be explained by power transition theory alone,
Whether the Thucydides trap makes U.S.-China war inevitable,
Old school methods for managing cross-strait relations.
Co-hosting today is Ilari Mäkelä of the On Humans podcast.
Outro music: 荒城の月 "The Moon over the Ruined Castle" by 滝廉太郎 Rentarō Taki (Youtube link)
Cover photo of a Song Dynasty axe-wielding god https://dragonsarmory.blogspot.com/2016/12/song-chinese-armor-in-religious.html
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