The Construction of Uncertainty and Threat: Theoretical Debates on China’s Rise

Abstract

Since China began to reform and open up, its growth has attracted worldwide attention. In particular, Zheng Bijian’s concept of “China’s Rise” has become the focus of theoretical debates. In 2010, “China’s Rise” was the third most popular news expression in the United States and is often discussed in conjunction with the United States. Therefore, the US perception of and response to China’s economic growth is of great significance. As language is an important factor for international analysis and can construct social identity and influence actors’ behavior, this paper aims to analyze the US response to China’s rise from the perspective of language and discourse by combining theories of language constructivism and post-structuralism so as to better understand the identity that has been imposed on China throughout the theoretical debates surrounding China’s rise. Meanwhile, it also strives to add an alternative interpretation regarding how the United States identifies and responds to China’s rise. Through analyzing the discursive process, we can see how the theoretical debates and particular narration and framing methods influence the construction of a dominant discourse shaping China’s identity. This chapter is also expected to help bridge the gap between the major discourse on China’s rise in both China and the US. To this end, it can help to understand the term, its related genealogical roots, assumptions, labels, and narratives, as well as to reflect on the political and normative consequences of the language and knowledge production regarding China’s rise.