In spite of plentiful research on alliance theories, it is still difficult to define a special mode of security cooperation during the Cold War like the relations of the US and Saudi Arabia, China and Pakistan, France and Israel (in the 1950s), Britain and South Africa, the Soviet Union and Syria and so forth. These can hardly be classified as “alliances” according to mainstream alliance theories due to the lack of defensive pacts, even though they are similar in function to formal alliance.

Security strategy scholars hold that decision-makers have to make choices among alliance diplomacy, collective security, cooperative security and neutral diplomacy. This simple classification has obviously ignored the special semi-alliance. Michael F. Altfeld from the US Hoover Institution argues that decision-makers always make a trade-off between alliance and arms race, alliance and non-alignment. Yet, he neglected other strategic options aside from alliance and neutrality. Robert L. Rothstein points out that neutrality and non-alignment are generally attractive to small powers; the choice between alliance or non-alignment does not depend on moral principles but leaders’ rational calculations. However, how can we explain the security partnership among non-aligned countries themselves, and between alliance and non-aligned countries? What are the motivations behind the cooperation modes?

What is Quasi-Alliance?

In this book, an informal security partnership is defined as “quasi-alliance” in international relations. It is a kind of security partnership that two or more international entities form based on informal security agreements against external threats. Quasi-alliance refers to the diplomatic philosophy and informal security management mechanisms that state leaders usually rely on to consolidate security cooperation against external threats. The main difference between “quasi-alliance” and “quasi-alliance diplomacy” lies in the fact that the former is a sort of relations, while the latter refers to the complex web of diplomatic notions, mechanisms, policies and behaviors, and security strategies that sovereign states and entities would pursue by means of comprehensive military and diplomatic powers.

The “Quasi” in quasi-alliance terminology refers to “semi”, “sub” and “informal”, it is the “grey zone” of alliance, collective security, cooperation security, strategic partnership and neutrality in between. Briefly, if we say alliance diplomacy includes both allies (participating in the security cooperation against external threats) and “legality” (with formal covenants), neutral diplomacy implies “non-ally” and “nonlegality”, while quasi-alliance indicates “ally” but “non-legality”, i.e. ally without formal defense pact. In the past, academia would refer to close relations among countries as “special relations”, “alliance without covenants”, “de facto alliance”, “tacit alliance”. “informal alliance” or “limited alliance.” This book prefers an academic terminology of “quasi-alliance” and explores the theoretical significance of it.