China’s Changing World View

Abstract

It may be trite to say that a nation’s defence policy is critically influenced by its geopolitical¹ environment. Perhaps it is similarly commonplace to note that China’s national defence problems, while not unique,² are more complex and intractable than those of most other states. Nevertheless, it is appropriate to consider the PRC’s special defence problems in the light of both these basic factors, especially in view of the accelerating domestic policy revolution since the death of Mao and the developing change in the PRC’s global posture.