可持续的国际领导权:来自968-1885年中越关系的经验教训

后冷战时代的重大挑战是世界秩序的可持续性 ,这种世界秩序并非建立在大国竞争基础之上 ,西方国际关系理论尚没有做好应对这一挑战的准备。笔者利用长达九个世纪的中国与法国殖民主义前独立的越南双边关系的实例 ,回顾了中国对于可持续的单极领导权的经验。认为这种持续不变的非对称关系不是征服和控制的结果 ,而是一种角色模式的演变。在这个模式中 ,双方都理智地确信其切身利益并没有受到威胁 ,维持这种关系对于双方而言都具有普遍的益处。基于角色的非对称关系既有弱点也有长处 ,虽然它不能被直接应用于现代 ,但它揭示出有关处理非对称国际关系的一般性经验教训。

Sustainable International Leadership:Lessons from the Sino-Vietnamese Relationship, 968-1885

The major challenge of the post Cold War era is the sustainability of a world order not based on the competition of great powers, and Western international relations theory is not equipped to cope with this challenge. This essay reviews the Chinese experience with sustainable unipolar leadership using the example of its nine centuries of relations with an independent Vietnam before French colonialism. It is argued that this sustained asymmetric relationship was not the result of victory and domination, but rather the evolution of a role pattern in which each side felt reasonably confident that its vital interests were not at risk and that there was a general advantage in maintaining the relationship. Role based asymmetric leadership has weaknesses as well as strengths, and it cannot be applied directly in the modern era, but it suggests general lessons concerning the management of asymmetric international relations.