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Economic and Public Diplomacy of China and Taiwan in Central America
Jabůrek, Štěpán ; Soukup, Jaromír (advisor) ; Karmazin, Aleš (referee)
This thesis is concerned with the topic of the Sino-Taiwanese diplomatic struggle in Central America. Specifically, it analyses 4 countries, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama, which abandoned their longstanding relations with Taiwan in order to establish relations with China between 2017-2023. The work aims to find out, whether the reasons for these diplomatic switches were purely economic, or if non-economic motivations played a role as well. The main analytical section of the work consists of 4 case-studies, which analyze the relevant motivations behind the switches. In conclusion, the author finds out that economic motivations played a major role in all cases. At the same time, however, there was at least one other non-economic motivation observed in every case. Specifically, in every case we can observe power related motivations aiming to maximize strategic power of the respective country and at the same time limit the influence of the US in the region. In two cases ideological motivations in the form of ideological closeness of the domestic government with the Chinese Communist Party were uncovered. Finally, in two cases motivations regarding domestic politics and election campaigns were detected.
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Influence of foreign private actors on political decision-making in the Czech Republic: case study of Japanese and German economic actors
Barták, Petr ; Parízek, Michal (advisor) ; Kučerová, Irah (referee)
Influence of non-state transnational actors on decision-making of sovereign states is one of the most important topics in the international relations discipline. Some academic approaches consider this influence as quite important. Others perceive it as only secondary. Economic actors are a specific case because they on one hand bring know-how, employment and economic growth. On the other hand, they decrease sovereignty of the host states. This thesis tries to uncover influence of the two strongest non-state transnational economic actors in the Czech Republic - German and Japanese Chambers of Commerce. The topic of lobbying of these actors in the case of lack of labor force in the Czech Republic was chosen because of its good empirics. The text also aims to test assumptions according to which bargaining power of such actors is influenced by geographical distance between the host state and home country of the transnational actor. This thesis also wants to address the general topic of influence of the transnational actors on states in the international relations, based on the findings of this case study.
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Impact of Czech polititians foreign activities on development of foreign trade and investment
Hofman, Pavel ; Tomeš, Jiří (advisor) ; Blažek, Jan (referee)
With the continuing process of globalization, national economies are intensively interconnecting with external enviroment. It is especially visible for Czech Republic, which geopolitical position stresses the importance of external business relationships. Economic prosperity of countries with open economy is largely determined by export performance and inflow of foreign direct investments, both of which are supported by economic diplomacy. The first scope of this thesis is to evaluate the economic diplomacy of Czech Republic, and secondly to empirically analyze the tools, which economic diplomacy is using - foreign visits of polititians and role of embassies. The gravity model of international trade was used to study the influence of both tools on the foreign trade and investment in Czech Republic between years 1993-2013. The results show, that if at least one visit per year was realized, the export grows by 14%. However, one average high official visit is associated with rising exports by about 4.7%. On the other hand, any realtionship with FDI was not found. Further analysis confirms the importance of the embassies and thier positive impact on foreign trade, in particular with culturally distant countries, where this effect is more pronounced. Futhermore the study showed fading effect of economic...
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Czech-german chamber of commerce nad its position in the German system of support of the external commertial relations
Vaculík, Pavel ; Kučera, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Mlsna, Petr (referee)
In Germany so-called three pillar system of export support has developed over the centuries. The Czech-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a part of the Foreign Chambers of Commerce, which is one of the key institutions of the system. It has become, over more than 20 years of its operation, the most important bilateral chamber of commerce in the Czech Republic. Institutions that are participating in the system of export support are encouraging elimination of obstacles, which are preventing entrepreneurs in their expansion to foreign markets. By offering of counseling and analytical services, the Czech-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry aims small businessmen, and tries to minimize the obstacles of their participation on the Czech-German economic exchange. By using the foundations of institutional economy and with the help of sources and literature defines this thesis the placement of the Czech-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the German system of export support. Alongside, it tries to prove the key position of the Chamber in the system of export support by analyzing competence, organizational structure and suggested services of other actors that are involved in the system of export support.
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Strenghtening European Commission's external actorness through internationalisation of SMEs: An institutional analysis of Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), 2002-2009
Trnka, Jan ; Šlosarčík, Ivo (advisor) ; Kasáková, Zuzana (referee)
European Union faced several external challenges in the beginning of the 21st century. Its enlargement to 24 member states led to a state of dissimilar and not well interconnected economies in need of a new model of external competitiveness. Finding the model and, more importantly, delivering it on community level, was a new task of the European Commission, especially after re-launch of the Lisbon strategy in 2005. Yet, there was another challenge for EU that was not so easy to address by the Commission: the relative weakening of EU's external economic action comparing to new increasingly assertive policies of other international players, especially BRICs. Was it possible for the Commission focus only on supporting EU competitiveness without any external action, as was expected by articles of the Treaty of Nice? As the thesis argues, indeed there was an external action of the Commission before the Lisbon treaty, through its public support of SME internationalization within the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). A neoinstitutional analysis of the issues on two levels is carried out: Firstly on the level of European institutions (motives, relevant contexts and institutional rules), secondly, on the level of secondary actors (SMEs, NGOs, CIP executive agency EACI), where the...
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Instruments of foreign policy of small states - Taiwan's economic and public diplomacy
Průchová, Kristýna ; Fürst, Rudolf (advisor) ; Karásek, Tomáš (referee)
Taiwan is still in partial diplomatic isolation. As a small country with a limited share in world affairs is not only limited by his specific requirements, but also to the instruments that are entitled to use. The only way to escape from this situation means expanding the number of diplomatic allies and efforts for integration into international structures. Recommended tools for small state foreign policy used to achieve its objectives, primarily by soft power. Based on the classification of Taiwan as a small state, the recommended instruments are of public and economic diplomacy. They act through creating a positive image of the country abroad and various forms of foreign assistance. Taiwan needs to gather as much support from the general public in different countries. A strong motivation for him is his effort to build its own space and fixed position for national survival and growth in China's shadow. By defining each of the central concepts, integrating Taiwan into the actual facts and the application of selected instruments for Taiwan's foreign policy terms there is built a connection between the small states issue and areas of economic and public diplomacy as soft power tools of Taiwan's foreign policy.
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Enemies, Rivals or Friends - Chinese Economic Diplomacy in Visegrád countries since 2012
Zhao, Di ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Cibulková, Petra (referee)
This dissertation aims to interpret Chinese economic diplomacy in Visegrád countries since 2012. An accurate cognition of China's political-economic stance towards Visegrád countries is vital for bilateral relations. Since 2012, China has promoted a series of economic policies, namely 16+1 and OBOR, to build a closer relationship with Visegrád countries. However, the Visegrád countries are not equivalent to China in the world economy. By combining Constructivist analysis, this article will explain China's motivation, and Visegrád countries' significance. Then, by examining data, this article attempts to demonstrate bilateral outcomes in politics, economics, and cultures. Two major research methods refer to (1) qualitative analysis of data and (2) theoretical approach. Data have been collected from books, journals, credible internet sources and authoritative media. Theory refers to Alexander Wendt's Constructivism. Through these analyses, a comprehensive examination of the causes behind Chinese economic diplomacy in Visegrád countries is achieved. Outcomes of cooperation are both positive and negative. The future relations between China and Visegrád countries depend on mutual interactions. Keywords China, Economic Diplomacy, Visegrád countries, Constructivism, International Relations Range of...
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Ekonomická diplomacie ASEANu v závislosti na konfliktu v Jihočínském moři
Mužíková, Petra
This diploma thesis is focused on issues of economic diplomacy of ASEAN countries, depending on the conflict in the South China Sea. The first part describes the development of this conflict and explains possible interactions between ASEAN countries and China through the concepts of balancing, bandwagoning and hedging. It arouses the theoretical assumptions of the reactions of the states to the deteriorating security situation in the South China Sea. The practical analytical part is dedicated to the exploration of economic relations between China and ASEAN countries quantitatively through the use of statistical data as well as qualitatively. Finally, the main results are interpreted and the conclusions drawn.
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Influence of foreign private actors on political decision-making in the Czech Republic: case study of Japanese and German economic actors
Barták, Petr ; Parízek, Michal (advisor) ; Kučerová, Irah (referee)
Influence of non-state transnational actors on decision-making of sovereign states is one of the most important topics in the international relations discipline. Some academic approaches consider this influence as quite important. Others perceive it as only secondary. Economic actors are a specific case because they on one hand bring know-how, employment and economic growth. On the other hand, they decrease sovereignty of the host states. This thesis tries to uncover influence of the two strongest non-state transnational economic actors in the Czech Republic - German and Japanese Chambers of Commerce. The topic of lobbying of these actors in the case of lack of labor force in the Czech Republic was chosen because of its good empirics. The text also aims to test assumptions according to which bargaining power of such actors is influenced by geographical distance between the host state and home country of the transnational actor. This thesis also wants to address the general topic of influence of the transnational actors on states in the international relations, based on the findings of this case study.
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