China's Rising Foreign Ministry
Apr 7, 2025 5:00 AM | China's rise and its importance to international relations as a discipline-defining phenomenon are well recognized. Yet when scholars analyze China's foreign relations, they typically focus on Beijing's military power, economic might, or political leaders. As a result, most traditional assessments miss a crucial factor: China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). In this talk, Dylan M.H Loh discusses how MOFA gradually became the main interface of China's foreign policy and the primary vehicle through which the idea of 'China' is produced, articulated, and represented on the world stage. Arguing that MOFA has increased in importance and influence, it offers an original reading of Chinese foreign policy, with wide-ranging implications for international relations. Dylan M.H Loh, is an Assistant Professor at the Public Policy & Global Affairs programme at Nanyang Technological University. His research interests include Chinese foreign policy, international diplomacy, and conceptions of international orders. He received his PhD from Cambridge University and his articles have appeared in China Quarterly, Cooperation & Conflict, International Studies Review, Global Studies Quarterly, The Pacific Review and International Relations of Asia-Pacific among others. Dylan is the author of China's Rising Foreign Ministry (2024) published by Stanford University Press. PRESENTER: Dylan M.H Loh (Nanyang Technological University). MODERATOR: Kristin Anabel Eggeling (Assistant Professor, Copenhagen University). DISCUSSANTS: Beverley Loke (Senior Lecturer, Australian National University) and Deepak Nair, Senior Lecturer, Australian National University. Interested in being notified of upcoming webinars? Sign up for ISA Connected, a monthly newsletter with information on all of ISA's upcoming virtual programming, here: https://www.isanet.org/Programs/Virtual-Programs/ISA-Connected (https://www.isanet.org/Programs/Virtual-Programs/ISA-Connected)
