Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

China’s Ascent: A Strategic Perspective of Its Vision

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Changing Global Order

Part of the book series: United Nations University Series on Regionalism ((UNSR,volume 17))

Abstract

When it comes to the changing global order, China’s rise attracts worldwide attention. In particular, the nature of its ascent and its potential impact on world order have been in the spotlight for decades. A variety of epithets have been employed to describe China to capture the nature of China as an increasingly influential power. Meanwhile, prior scholarship has also contributed much from various perspectives of IR theory. However, there exists a wide gap in perception regarding China, within and outside the country. This chasm can only be straddled with a better understanding of China’s strategic panorama. Mindful of this potentiality in bridging the chasms, but without assuming a position on China’s peaceful rise, this chapter throws light on China’s resurgence by considering its related strategies: its vision of a world order, its focus on external partners, and its intention of national rejuvenation. The conclusion demonstrates that China is envisaging a twenty-first-century world order where emerging powers play important roles, prioritizing its relations with well-targeted partners, and implementing its foreign policies under the guidance of historical experiences, national interests, strategic needs and the capricious climate of international relations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 64.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    For why there is no Chinese school of international relations theory, see Yan (2016). Yan said, Chinese scholars are working to enrich modern IR theories with traditional Chinese thought, using modern methodology.

  2. 2.

    Zheng Bijian, former President Hu Jintao’s senior advisor first posed the term ‘China’s Peaceful rise’, which was later replaced by ‘China’s peaceful development’ to “remove the challenging undertone of ‘rise’ and to dissuade adversarial reactions” (Luttwak 2012, p. 273).

  3. 3.

    Luttwak considers it as ‘premature assertiveness’. For more detail, see (Luttwak 2012). In Chap. 1 of this volume, the author has also discussed about the relationship between the changing world order and the assertiveness of rising powers, arguing that the assertiveness of both China and Russia is increasing, though not in the same way.

Further Readings

  • Aggarwal, V. K., & Newland, S. A. (Eds.). (2015). Responding to China’s rise: US and EU strategies. New York: Spinger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benedikter, R., & Nowotny, V. (2014). China’s road ahead: Problems, Questions, perspectives. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Klieman, A. (Ed.). (2015). Great powers and geopolitics international affairs in a rebalancing world. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luttwak, E. N. 2012, . The rise of China vs. the logic of strategy. Harvard University Press/The Belknap London/Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mearsheimer, J. (2001). Tragedy of great power politics. New York/London: W. W. Norton & Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sapelli, G. (2015). Global challenges and the emerging world order. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Shambaugh, D. (2016). China’s future. Cambridge/Malden: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

Youtube Videos

References

  • Anderlini, J. (2015). UK moves to join China-led Bank a surprise even to Beijing. Financial Times, March 27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asean.org. (2016). External trade statistics, viewed 4 December 2016. http://asean.org/?static_post=external-trade-statistics-3

  • Breslin, S. (2009). Understanding China’s regional rise: Interpretations, identities and implications. International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1944-), 85(4), 817–835.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buzan, B. (2010). China in international society: Is “peaceful rise” possible? The Chinese Journal of International Politics, 3(1), 5–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, J. (2015). China-US: Obstacles to a “New Type of Major Power Relation”. The Diplomat, viewed 12 December 2016. http://thediplomat.com/2015/04/china-us-obstacles-to-a-new-type-of-major-power-relations/

  • Chung, J. H. (2016). The rise of China and East Asia: A new regional order on the horizon? China Political Science Review, 1, 47–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, Philip J. (2014). The roar of the metaphorical lion. China Daily.com.cn, 7 May, viewed 10 June 2019, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2014-05/07/content_17489407.htm

    Google Scholar 

  • Du, D., & Ma, Y. (2012). International geostrategic studies of China’s rise. Journal of World Regional Studies, 21(1), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferdinand, P. (2011). China and the developing world. In D. Shambaugh (Ed.), Charting China’s future: Domestic and international challenges (pp. 86–94). Oxon/New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao, C. (2014). China’s rise, structural evolution of its neighboring regions and its strategic adjustment. International Economic Review, (2), 32–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaser, C. (2011). Will China’s rise Lead to war? Why realism does not mean pessimism. Foreign Affairs, 90(2), 80–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goswami, N. (2013). Power shifts in East Asia: Balance of power vs. liberal institutionalism. Perceptions, XVIII(1), 3–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudda, N. (2015). Interpreting the rise of China: Realist and liberalist perspectives. E-International Relations, viewed 20 June 2017, http://www.eir.info/2015/04/03/interpreting-the-rise-of-china-realist-and-liberalist-perspectives/

  • Johnston, A. L. (2003). Is China a status quo power? ’ International Security, 27(4), 5–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang, D. C. (2015). China, hegemony, and leadership in East Asia. In V. K. Aggarwal & S. A. Newland (Eds.), Responding to China’s rise: US and EU strategies (pp. 27–49). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirshner, J. (2010). The tragedy of offensive realism: Classical realism and the rise of China. European Journal of International Relations, 18(1), 53–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, X., & LI, J. (2015). One belt and one road’ and the reshaping of China’s geopolitical and Geoeconomic strategy. Journal of World Politics and Economics, (10), 31–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, F. (2013a). Transition of international system and China’s positioning. Review of Foreign Affairs, (2), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, J. (2013b). World structure and China’s peripheral security. Journal of World Economic and Politics, (6), 4–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, D. (2016). Global view and strategy of contemporary China. Scientia Geographica Sinica, (36), 483–490.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luttwak, E. N. (2012). The rise of China vs. the logic of strategy. London/Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Lv, J. (2000). A comment on multipolarity trend of world situation. Scientific Socialism, (3), 36–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mearsheimer, J. (2001). Tragedy of great power politics. New York/London: W. W. Norton & Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mearsheimer, J. J.. (2014). Can China rise peacefully? Viewed 1 December 2016. http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/can-china-rise-peacefully-10204?page=3

  • Men, H. (2016). Building a new type of international relations: China’s responsibility and undertakings. World Economics and Politics, (3), 4–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Overholt, H. W. (2002). The rise of China: How economic reform is creating a new superpower. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qi, H., & Shi, Y. (2013). China’s peripheral security challenges and its pan-peripheral diplomatic strategy. World Economics and Politics, (3), 25–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qin, Y. (2004). World order and China’s peaceful rise. Journal of Party Building, (5), 11–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy, D. (2009). China’s democratised foreign policy. Survival: Global Politics and Strategy, 51(2), 25–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/00396330902860769.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shambaugh, D. (2013a). China goes global: The partial power. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shambaugh, D. (2013b). Tangled titans: Conceptualizing the U.S.-China relationship. In D. Shambaugh (Ed.), Tangled titans: The United States and China (pp. 3–26). Rowman & Littlefield: Lanham.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shambaugh, D. (2016). China’s future. Cambridge/Malden: Polity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi, Y. (2007). The US power, the rise of China, and World order. Journal of International Studies, (3), 28–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi, Y. (2014). The rise of China and world order. Contemporary International Relations, (7), 32–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi, Y. (2015). Rising China: Political leadership, foreign policy, and Chineseness. In V. K. Aggarwal & S. A. Newland (Eds.), Responding to China’s rise: US and EU strategies (pp. 99–110). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shirk, S. L. (2007). China: Fragile superpower. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Song, J. (2016). China-ASEAN bilateral trade volume reaching 400 billion US Dollar in 2015, viewed 4 December 2016. http://www.chinadevelopment.com.cn/news/zj/2016/07/1062590.shtml

  • Sun, Y. (2016). AIIB, OBOR and Chinese view of international order. Journal of Foreign Affairs, (1), 1–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y. (2011). Surpassing peaceful rising: The necessity and possibility of China’s implementation of inclusive rising strategy. World Economics and Politics, (8), 140–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weede, E. (2010). The capitalist peace and the rise of China: Establishing global harmony by economic interdependence. International Interactions: Empirical and Theoretical Research in International Relations, 36(2), 206–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xia, L. (2003). China’s peaceful rising and its new concept of international strategy. Journal of International Studies, (6), 31–35, 201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xie, T., & Page, B. (2010). Americans and the rise of China as a world power. Journal of Contemporary China, 19(65), 479–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan, X. (2010). An analysis of uncertainty in Sino-US relations. World Economics and Politics, (12), 4–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yan, X. (2012). The shift of world center and the change of international system. Journal of Contemporary Asia-Pacific Studies, (6), 4–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yan, X. (2016). Why is there no Chinese school of international relations theory? (Appendix 3). In X. Yan, D. A. Bell, E. Ryden, & S. Zhe (Eds.), Ancient Chinese thought, modern Chinese power (pp. 252–259). Princeton/Oxford: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, Q. (2016). The essence of diplomacy and the strategic choices of rising powers. Journal of Foreign Affairs, (4), 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, F. (2012). The rise of China, change in East Asia situation and development direction of east Asian order. Journal of Contemporary Asia-Pacific Studies, (5), 4–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, F. (2013). Driving force, paths and prospects of new type of great power relations between China and the US. Journal of Contemporary Asia-Pacific Studies, (2), 4–21.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Jian Shi

  2. Institute of European Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing, China

    Zeren Langjia

Authors
  1. Jian Shi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zeren Langjia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zeren Langjia .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Madeleine O. Hosli

  2. Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs, Leiden University, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Joren Selleslaghs

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Shi, J., Langjia, Z. (2020). China’s Ascent: A Strategic Perspective of Its Vision. In: Hosli, M.O., Selleslaghs, J. (eds) The Changing Global Order. United Nations University Series on Regionalism, vol 17. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21603-0_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation