ABSTRACT
The theoretical framework is tested against a renowned example of naval diplomacy from the height of the Cold War and then applied in the world, against further examples from the period 2011—15. These examples represent state-on-state confrontation, the involvement of non-state actors, and transnational concerns, respectively. The USS Pueblo incident is one of the most oft-cited examples of Cold War naval diplomacy. Japan, the People's Republic of China and Taiwan all lay claim to a grouping of uninhabited rocks and islands in the East China Sea. The Japanese name for the islands is Senkaku, China refers to them as Diaoyu and Taiwan calls them Diaoyutai. In 2010 Greenpeace commenced its 'Save the Arctic' campaign. Ballistic missiles are often seen as symbols of national prestige and scientific competence and are thus a tempting investment for the ambitious power, whether that is a state or a non-state actor.
