Abstract
This dissertation advances a novel epistemological, methodological, theoretical and empirical analysis for understanding China’s sharp power toward Taiwan and Australia. The epistemological contribution is made through the development of a mixed (positivist, post-positivist) methodology for understanding not only China’s engagement with Taiwan but also of Australia’s strategic importance to Beijing. The theoretical contribution is manifested in the development of the mixed theoretical analysis of realist “stick” and the social constructivist “carrot” approach in understanding China’s attitude towards Taiwan. Positivist and anti-positivistic theories are deployed to advance a critical appreciation of soft-hard power respectively, the thesis seeks to locate the notion of sharp power in epistemological terms. The empirical contribution to knowledge is achieved through the development of a novel framework from an empirical analysis of China’s sharp power in Taiwan and Australia.