【Report】Rethinking China’s International Responsibility through Relational Dynamics: Local Voices from Egypt

Rethinking China’s International Responsibility through Relational Dynamics: LocalVoices from Egypt

On October 22, Dr. Mina Tadrous, Senior Researcher at the Research Organization of Open Innovation & Collaboration, Ritsumeikan University, delivered a presentation titled “Rethinking China’s International Responsibility through Relational Dynamics: Local Voices from Egypt”. He examined how China’s international responsibility is understood by people in the Global South, taking Egypt as a case study.

Dr. Tadrous opened by noting that there is no universally accepted definition of international responsibility, as different countries emphasize different aspects of this concept based on their values and national interests. While Western perspectives often focus on human rights, democracy, and a rule-based international order, Chinese perspectives prioritize sovereignty, non-interference, development, and win-win cooperation. He contended that the existing literature, heavily influenced by Western interpretations, views responsibility as a static and predefined concept. In contrast, he introduced the concept of “Relational Responsibility Dynamics,” which suggests that responsibility is fluid and co-constructed through the interplay between the host and the partner country, rather than being tied only to a specific country’s actions.

Dr. Tadrous argued that the way China’s actions are interpreted depends on the relationship between China’s approach to an issue (universalist or particularist) and the approach of Egyptian actors to the same issue, which is shaped by factors such as religious belief, political orientation, economic benefit, survival concerns, and educational background. For instance, China was seen as irresponsible to some extent in the case of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, where religious belief was strongest, whereas it was perceived as responsible in its environmental investments, where political orientation and economic benefit mattered more. Dr. Mina Tadrous concluded that international responsibility is not fixed but emerges through the interaction between the host country’s approach and the way actors in the partner country perceive it. His research offers a more nuanced and agency-based understanding of international responsibility, moving beyond traditional perspectives.

The presentation concluded with a Q&A session. The audience asked several questions, including the research methodology, the challenges faced while conducting interviews, and other aspects of the research.

Merve OZTURK ASIL.