Abstract:

South Asian small states, characterized by their unique geographic locations and political-economic vulnerabilities, have long experienced conflicts arising from the great power competition involving China, the United States, and India. This study examined these states through the core dimensions of critical geopolitics, focusing on geopolitical narratives of political elites, the construction of geographical imaginations, and the interplay of ethnic identities. The findings indicate that political elites in South Asia manipulate geopolitical narratives and ethnic identities to advance their interests and reshape geographical imaginations to navigate space among competing powers. External actors, meanwhile, employ discourses such as the "Chinese debt trap" to influence public opinion in South Asia, exacerbating geopolitical fragmentation and hindering the progress of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in the region. As the United States and India advance their Indo-Pacific Strategy, China needs to balance its interests in interactions with South Asian small states, strengthen engagements with political elites across various factions, and develop flexible diplomatic relationships. These efforts are essential to achieving regional stability, fostering cooperative development, and effectively countering the interference and containment strategies of the U.S. and India.

Key words: critical geopolitics, key small states, South Asia, behavioral choices, international intervention

摘要：

南亚小国因其独特的地理位置和政治经济脆弱性，长期处于中、美、印大国博弈的冲突中，面临地缘撕裂的复杂局面。本研究基于批判地缘政治学的核心维度，从政治精英的地缘叙事、地理想象的构建以及族群认同的交互作用等方面展开分析，发现南亚小国的政治精英通过操控地缘政治叙事和族群认同来谋取自身利益，并通过重塑地理想象以在大国之间寻求生存空间。与此同时，外部势力则利用“中国债务陷阱”等话语影响南亚地区的舆论环境，从而加剧了地缘撕裂的现状，阻碍了中国“一带一路”倡议在南亚地区的推广。随着美印推进“印太战略”，中国需要在与南亚小国的交往中审慎平衡利益，并增强与各派政治精英的互动，以建立灵活的外交关系，实现区域稳定与合作发展，从而有效应对美印的干涉与“围堵”策略。

关键词: 批判地缘政治, 关键性小国, 南亚, 行为选择, 国际干预