Managing Role Conflict on the International Stage: How China Balances Its Dual Role in Global Climate Governance

Abstract China has traditionally served as a leader of the Global South in global climate governance, building on its self-identification as a developing country. As expectations rose to contribute more resolutely to global climate action, China found itself confronted with a role conflict. Creating the auxiliary role of climate leader has not resolved this conflict, since the two roles are essentially associated with conflictual expectations. In this paper, I demonstrate how China sustains its dual role by employing three discursive tactics to balance the conflict: role segregation, role supplementation, and role merging. For this purpose, I develop and apply a theoretical framework of role conflict management strategies and associated tactics in foreign policy and international relations. This framework integrates previous literature from the field and some of the foundational interactionist scholarship on role conflict management, thereby contributing to a more systematic understanding of how states navigate role conflict.