為探究既有國際關係理論對「中國崛起」現象的解釋方法與理解方式,在歷史分析比較的研究途徑之下,本文透過「霸權與層級體系」、「不對稱關係」以及「制度作用」三個概念為主軸,論析分別代表東方與西方思想體系的朝貢體系論與霸權穩定論之間的異同。理論之適用性與解釋力須藉由概念的操作化檢證之,據此,本文在經驗層次上以中越關係與美墨關係為例,並以吳本立之不對稱觀作為中介項,對比康燦雄之東亞朝貢體系觀以及雷克之層級秩序觀兩個各自代表東西方霸權的概念,進行理論之間、經驗之間,以及理論與經驗之間的比較與對話。研究結果指出,兩種論述雖然在集體/個體的本體論上仍有許多調和空間,然而透過本文在理論與經驗層次上的比較,中國與美國兩個霸權之展現形貌卻有其謀合之處。職是之故,東西方霸權概念之比較對於國際關係理論探究「中國崛起」之現象,在研究議程上具有一定的研究意義與價值。
The purpose of this research is to explore the diverse perspectives on “rising China” in the existing international relations theory and to expand the methods to account for the phenomenon. By adopting the approach of Historical Analysis Comparison and the Method of Agreement, the dissertation is mainly framed by the concepts of hegemony, hierarchy, the asymmetric relations and institutions to illustrate the differences and similarities between Hegemonic Stability Theory and Tributary System, which represent respectively the Western and the Eastern ideology system. On the empirical level, the U.S.-Mexican and Sino-Vietnamese relations are incorporated through the operative parameters of David Lake’s International Hierarchy and David Kang’s Tributary System to verify the appropriateness and the ability of explanation of the two mentioned theories. Following the cross-temporal and cross-sectional comparisons in both theoretical and empirical levels, the study concludes that, despite the ontological differences, the power patterns of the two hegemonies – the U.S. and China – overlap to some degree. Thus, the contrast and analogy of the concepts of hegemony in the West and the East political thoughts may feature certain contributions to the debates about how to include the wide-ranging discourses on China’s rise into the international relations theory.