Can a mouse lift an elephant? explanation of chinese investment in Malaysia’s East Coast railway construction

Lee, Chun-Yi and Lee, Pei May and Lau, Zhe Wei (2021) Can a mouse lift an elephant? explanation of chinese investment in Malaysia’s East Coast railway construction. In: Research Seminars on ASEAN-China-Norms, 1 & 8 April 2021, Online. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This project aims to explain the following two puzzles: firstly, can the Chinese infrastructure diplomacy be seen as innovative diplomacy other than existing economic diplomacy? Secondly, who are the main actors to negotiate and renegotiate the ECRL? In order to answer this part of the puzzle, we will engage with Actor-Network Theory (ANT) with the existing state capitalism network. Using ANT framework, it provides us with a thorough understanding of how the events unfolded through the dynamic interactions of the various actors, notably on the inking of the ECRL deal under Datuk Seri Najib’s administration, and the renegotiation of the deal by the new administration headed by Tun Mahathir. The contribution of our paper is not only to answer whether the Malaysia case can be seen as positive leverage to China’s infrastructure diplomacy but more so, to identify which actor assumed what role in the negotiation process of ECRL. In the existing literature, the scholarship only indicated the fragmented state capitalism in China, but hasn’t yet identified actors from both China and recipient countries and the actors’ functions in the negotiation. To clearly identify and articulate this dynamic network analysis, using ECRL as a case, is our main contribution to the field of the existing scholarship.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Plenary Papers)
Additional Information:	9318/89357
Uncontrolled Keywords:	#ECRL #Chinese investment #Actor Network Theory #state capitalism #infrastructure diplomacy
Subjects:	J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia J Political Science > JZ International relations
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of Political Science
Depositing User:	Dr Pei May Lee
Date Deposited:	29 Apr 2021 16:37
Last Modified:	29 Apr 2021 16:37
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/89357

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