Hcss report

China does not have any new territorial ambitions.
What China wants to accomplish is to recover lost territories, such as Taiwan, and to 
secure its sovereignty control over its own territories, such as Tibet. They emphasize 
that Chinese leaders have been trying to allay apprehensions of other global players.
102

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HCSS REPORT
39
At the Boao Forum President Hu pledged that China ought to resolve its territorial 
disputes with neighboring countries through peaceful means to build a ‘harmonious 
Asia’. In a similar vein, Premier Wen emphasized a willingness to improve engagement 
and cooperation with neighboring countries during his trips to Malaysia and Indonesia. 
China’s peaceful rise strategy is not just rooted in China’s peace-loving culture, as the 
Chinese government claims. It is also a 
rational strategy
to bargain for a low-cost 
deal with others, and for them to accept China’s ascent
.
103
Russia
Statistics
FIGURE 2.22: NUMBER OF POSITIVE/NEUTRAL OR NEGATIVE FACTUAL SIGNALS OF ASSERTIVENESS FOR RUSSIA, BY TYPE 
(MILITARY, ECONOMIC, DIPLOMATIC)
To sum up, no factual economic events nor rhetoric assertiveness were registered. 
Most factual evidence is negative, and mainly manifests through diplomatic channels 
rather than military means.
Military: Factual Evidence
Military build-up
is one way for Russia to assert its position, for example with the 
acquisition of Mistral-class ships from France in 2011.
104
A stronger military 
assertiveness is reflected in 
several sporadic
occasions, from the Soviet Union’s 
increase of its military presence and build-up in East Asia in the 1970s,
105
to recent 
military attacks
i.e., the invasion of Georgia in 2008.
106
Negative
Positive/Neutral
Diplomatic
Economic
Military
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

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