TALK SYNOPSIS
China’s rise and its importance to international relations as a discipline-defining phenomenon is 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. By shedding light on the dynamics of Chinese diplomacy, particularly in Southeast Asia, and how assertiveness is constructed, the talk provides an updated re-appraisal of China’s foreign ministry and the role it performs in China’s reemergence.

SPEAKER’S PROFILE
Dr. 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. His 2024 article on Singapore and the international order was nominated for the ‘Early Career Prize’ by International Affairs. Dylan is the author of China’s Rising Foreign Ministry (2024) published by Stanford University Press and he is working on his second monograph on Chinese discourse power.