China’s New Imperialism: Nature, Causes, and Rationalization

This book discusses the nature of China’s current international reassertion of itself, and the thinking and attitudes which lie behind it. It argues that the Chinese leadership has a strongly held view of its own high moral authority, which emphasises inclusion, equality and mutual benefits, and that this sense of morality underpins the driving forces for China’s foreign policies, the geo-strategic reasoning for outward expansion, China’s strategic culture, the idealistic rationalization of China’s overseas activities, the overall Chinese worldview, and China’s vision of the Chinese world order. Based on original research into both writings for policy-making purposes, which indicate realistic assessments of world politics and of China’s international capacity, and also narratives for public consumption, which have less emphasis on self-interest and realpolitik, the book approaches the subject empirically, and not through the lens of any international relations theory. It highlights how China’s outward expansion has been characterized mainly by spreading influence through non-use of force, and strategies of inclusiveness , co-operation and winning without fighting . The book concludes however that Beijing’s self-privileging high morality may have the unfortunate consequence of reinforcing its own behaviour which defies international order and which others disapprove of, thereby increasing the likelihood of non-armed and armed conflicts.