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The objective of this paper is to analyse how and why the People's Republic of China (PRC) influences the making of regulatory and non-regulatory frameworks governing global commons. In the first part, the paper presents three factors that underpin the governance of the global commons today: the participation of a multiplicity of stakeholders (i.e. states and private actors); the establishment of new institutions, norms, and procedures to govern global commons; as well as the function of the commons as an alternative discourse to the crisis of neoliberal capitalism. In the second part, the paper presents how recent changes in China's foreign policy and its engagement with international law inform the emergence of China as a key stakeholder in the governance of global commons, particularly in relation to the governance of maritime, space, Arctic, and cyber domains. In the third part, the paper introduces some specific features of China's engagement with the global commons. These features include an instrumental and selective approach to international law; attempts to localise the governance of the commons; as well as reluctance in engaging with transnational actors in the governance of the global commons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing multipolarity in international affairs together with the rise of non-state actors do require us to re-think what constitutes sustainable development, in general, but also how economic growth can be respectful of the environment and individual rights. The People's Republic of China (China) does constitute an important part of that story. This paper aims to analyse China's discourse, laws, and policies on sustainable development at both national and international levels. It situates sustainable development in the broader context of China's current development policy; addresses the ways in which China engages with multilateral and bilateral institutions (i.e. legal instruments) in the area of sustainable development; as well as assesses the scope and limitations of China's focus on sustainable development in the context of Outward Foreign Direct Investment in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China is rising as a space power , it intends to be more active in participating international rule-making activities. International legal rules are needed for the purpose of preserving peaceful order, which is the minimum condition of the outer space as a global common. Under the Conference of Disarmament, China, together with Russian Federation, advanced a draft treaty on the issue of prevention of arms race in outer space. For raising consents among states in the process of international rule-making, China's policy and rule-making activities have to supply clear solutions to the divergent core issues including arms race, space weapons, use of force and threat of force in outer space, etc. Furthermore, as trust and confidence are imperative to any meaningful norm-setting agenda in international community, China can significantly improve the endeavour in international rule-making through strengthening its credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]