The Faces of Indo-Pacific Power in the Gulf

GULF RESEARCH MEETING, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

Abstract: How can the political and economic exchanges between the Indo-Pacific and the Gulf be understood? What different forms of power are in operate between them? In what is arguably a first of its kind, the paper applies the three faces of power identified by Stephen Lukes to the presence and actions of four different Indo-Pacific states – the two “rising powers” of China and India and two “middle powers” of Japan and South Korea – with the Arab Gulf states and Iran. In general, the findings suggest that there is little coercive behaviour (the first face) by the Indo-Pacific states vis-à-vis the Gulf states, but that Chinese influence exists through the agenda-setting (the second face) and preference-shaping (the third face) dimensions. Beyond these direct forms of power, the Indo-Pacific states exert influence in other indirect ways as well, including through the structural (especially the global economy) and productive forms of power (in particular China through its authoritarian political and economic development model). The paper concludes with some observations on the limitations of the study and suggestions for further lines of enquiry.

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