Chinese Discourse on International Relations

Introduction to the Special Forum: March

The discourse employed in China to control the narrative on domestic and global issues has long attracted special attention. Confucian tradition placed fundamental importance on the “rectification of names.” Marxist ideology was obsessed with the language used in the “upbringing” of the masses to prevent what was disparaged as “false consciousness.” Mao Zedong carried the obsession muc..

Editorial Staff
March 21,2014

Domestic Factors in China’s International Relations Discourse: Chinese Debates on the Role of Public Opinion

Two contrasting perspectives have been featured in recent years about the role of domestic public opinion in China's foreign policy making. On the one hand, the bottom-up viewpoint is that popular nationalism is a driving force in policymaking, influencing decisions on Japan and the United States, among other matters. Commercialized media appeal to it, official statements cater to it, and leaders ..

Maria Repnikova
Censorship , public opinion , quality , voluntary 50-centers
March 21,2014

China’s New Foreign Policy: Transformations and Challenges Reflected in Changing Discourse

There are many opinions about China's foreign policy strategy under the new leadership. This article addresses the shifts in China's approach to international issues since Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang have come to power, including the analysis of the reasons behind these changes, as well as the challenges that the new leadership faces in implementing them. It highlights the discourse that has been us..

Wang Yizhou*
China Dream , integrated destiny , New type of great power relations , peripheral diplomacy , strong maritime power , two silk roads
March 20,2014

Where Does Japan Fit in China’s “New Type of Great Power Relations?”

In recent years, the concept of a “new type of great power relations” (xinxing daguo guanxi) has appeared as a prominent theme in Chinese international relations discourse1. The concept was first outlined by State Councillor Dai Bingguo at the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in 2010, but achieved particular prominence following Xi Jinping’s visits to the United States as vice-presid..

Amy King
core interests. power transition , Diaoyu/Senkaku issue , illegitimate power , New type of great power relations , postwar international order