Neutuchající spor o jihočínské moře: strategie zajišťování jako vhodná reakce států jihovýchodní Asie na aktivity Číny v oblasti? ; The Perpetual Dispute over the South China Sea: Hedging Strategy

This article deals with the perpetual territorial disputes in the South China Sea and attempts to explain the relations between China, the USA, the South China Sea states, and selected international organizations/regimes from the perspective of a hedging strategy. The hedging strategy is applied to the behaviour of South China Sea states in their efforts to face the constant rise of China’s power as well as benefit from US presence and interests in this region. The goal of this study is to find out if the hedging strategy fits the behaviour of South China Sea states. The article is divided into four sections. In the first section, the concept of the hedging strategy is presented. The hedging strategy is comprised of three elements: engagement, soft balancing and enmeshing. The other sections of this article deal with these three elements in the region of the South China Sea. The initial idea is that the hedging strategy offers an alternative perspective on this challenge in the region compared to traditional international relations theories. On the other hand, the author admits that the concept of the hedging strategy has yet to be fully elaborated. This is why the main question remains unanswered. There is still much confusion regarding whether the hedging strategy is an appropriate strategy for states in the region.