<<Taikichiro Mori Memorial Research Fund>>

Graduate Student Researcher Development Grant for the Academic Year 2013

Research Achievement Report

Date Submitted: February 19, 2014

Name of the Research Project	The Effects of China’s Coastal Environmental Degradation on China’s Foreign Relations
Name of the Research Project Leader	Vida Macikenaite
Affiliation	Graduate School of Media and Governance
Type of Program	Doctoral Program
Student Year	Year 3

The fieldwork conducted under the funding of “Taikichiro Mori Memorial Research Fund” constitutes a part of the Applicant’s PhD research project. It serves as the basis for a pilot case study of further analysis of state-business relations in Chinese foreign policy making. The fieldwork was conducted at the Universities Service Center for China Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong to collect first-hand materials and data during the periods of April 24 – April 27 and May 3 – 7, 2013, and at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as well as the University of the Philippines to interview academics working in the relevant fields.

The key interviewees have backgrounds in rather different fields and they were consulted not only on the specific research topic of the fieldwork but also the general framework of the Applicant’s PhD thesis. The Applicant discussed research design with and received feedback from a Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The main purpose of the interview was to receive comments on the conceptual framework of the PhD thesis. On the effects of China’s Coastal Environmental Degradation on Chinese policies Professor at the College of Law of the University of the Philippines was interviewed. The Professor specializes in diverse marine policy issues and was a member of the technical team that prepared and defended the Philippines’ claim to a continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in the Benham Rise Region, filed with the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) pursuant to the provisions of Article 76 of the Law of the Sea Convention. Another Professor at the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines was interviewed on China’s relations with the Philippines and recent developments in their bilateral relations. Professor also provided comments on the research of foreign policy of developing countries.

Based on the data collected during the fieldwork and further analysis and research, a paper titled “The Implications of China’s Fisheries Industry Development on the South China Sea Dispute” was presented at 9th Lodz East Asia Meeting “Central Europe and East Asia” held at the University of Lodz in Poland June 6-7, 2013.

In addition to the originally planned fieldwork, data was collected for a research paper on state control of outward FDI in China. Further, since the fieldwork was conducted in Hong Kong at the same time when the 40-day Hong Kong dock strike called by the Union of Hong Kong Dockers took place, some valuable first-hand data for political participation was acquired.

Finally, at the end of the academic year 2013, in late February and March 2014 material collection will be conducted in China, and Professors working in relevant field will be interviewed at Fudan University (Shanghai).