Understanding China-Czech Relations: A Chinese Relational Theory Interpretation

Compared with the mainstream International Relations (IR) theories, relationalism is a relative newcomer to IR theories. For a long time, one epistemological tendency under the influence of substantialist thinking is binary opposition. IR theoretical research is also carried out in this binary epistemological principle. Compared with the binary opposition between material and spirit, the opposition between structure and action brings more troubles to the development of IR theory. Relationalism holds analytical potential in how its ontological commitments play into social and political relations in particular ways. To truly transcend the binary opposition, it is necessary to break through the shackles of substantialist thinking. This thesis argues that to some extent the theoretical tool of breaking down the epistemology of binary opposition can come from the wisdom of Chinese traditional culture. The Chinese relational theory, which combines the Confucian concept of "guanxi" with the dialectic of the "golden mean/zhongyong" of traditional Chinese philosophy, provides a non-Western perspective in the field of IR. This thesis attempts to explore China-Czech relations with the interpretation of Chinese relational theory. The purpose of this thesis is mainly to conduct an in-depth observation of specific cases of Sino-Czech relations through discourse analysis and comparative analysis, and to explore the changes in bilateral relations in the context of China-CEEC cooperation from a relational perspective. Then it interprets the current situation of Sino-Czech relations from the perspective of Chinese relational theory, and attempts to provide suggestions for the future development of relations between the two countries. The verification of the Chinese relational theory in this thesis also brings inspiration to the research of relationalism in IR.