STEVEN KUO: China watching as important for SA as eyeing the US
There are few truisms in international relations, but one that even academics won’t disagree on is that foreign policy begins at home. How powerful a country is, and a nation’s stature in the international arena, rests on its economic and political fundamentals.
US academic David Shambaugh defined six dimensions of power: perceptual, diplomatic, global governance, economic, cultural and security. In the international arena a country needs to first be perceived by others as powerful, its diplomacy must be executed effectively, it needs to shoulder more than its fair share of international governance duties, its economy needs to be sustainably strong, its culture must be attractive to others, and all of this must be backed up by a strong military...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.