China became a key actor in the global supply chain of extractive resources (e.g., cobalt and lithium) - crucial part of green transition worldwide. Hyeyoon Park examines China’s role in global governance for sustainable mineral extractions, particularly regarding “transparency,” a core norm in global extractives governance.
This paper shows that Chinese domestic actors have localized and reshaped global transparency norm based on their unique interests and culture and attempted to universalize a Chinese version of “thin” transparency norm through the creation of a transnational governance initiative – the Responsible Cobalt Initiative (RCI). Large mining, car, and EV battery companies participated in the RCI led by China as official members.
This case study reveals three conditions of Chinese local idea-shifter’s norm-making extended from Acharya’s norm circulation theory: external legitimacy crises, internal legitimacy crises, and the capacity of local idea-shifter. This finding rejects the notion of China as a monolithic actor and suggests a multi-agency and multi-level approach to understanding the complex realities of China’s normative leadership in global governance.
Author: Hyeyoon Park
Title on the publication: Global Norm-Maker as China’s New Brand? An Analysis of the Responsible Cobalt Initiative
Link to the publication in The Chinese Journal of International Politics: https://doi.org/10.1093/cjip/poad002