Constructing Global Hegemony: U.S.-China Strategies and the Struggle for the Indo-Pacific

This thesis explores the rivalry between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific and examines how both powers intend to (re)shape global order. From a Neo-Gramscian theoretical framework, the thesis conceptualises hegemony as the interplay of coercion and consent, which are articulated through ideas, material capabilities and institutions. It analyses how the United States, a hegemon in crisis, and China, a rising counter-hegemonic power, engage in order-building strategies in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting broader transformations of the Liberal International Order (LIO). Drawing on primary sources released by the Chinese and American governments, the analysis reveals that while China challenges U.S. dominance, it does so through a reformist approach to the existing order, instead of an outright rejection. Through its regional focus and critical theoretical lens, this thesis contributes to understanding the dynamics of global hegemony and the narratives underpinning global order transitions.