Chinese Foreign Policy Under Xi: Chinese Studies

Since the leadership transition at the 18^th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, there has been a calibration of China’s foreign policy orientation, becoming more ambitious, pro-active and ‘incrementalist,’ while less inhibitive of risk-taking. This book addresses the issue of how China’s growing international stature has coincided with what has been perceived by some as Beijing’s increasingly muscular foreign policy. It is not an exaggeration to say that, in recent times, aspects of Chinese behaviour have raised consternation among several countries in the Asia-Pacific. This behooves us all the more to take that first step to study more deeply, and in greater focus and coherence, the intricacies of China’s foreign policy calibration in the Xi era.

While it is convenient to link changes in Beijing’s behaviour to the leadership style of Xi Jinping, there have been few attempts to analyze and explain the calibration of Chinese foreign policy since the CCP’s 2012 leadership renewal. To what extent has China’s 5^th generation leadership ‘forsaken’ the dictum of keeping a low profile? How has the People’s Liberation Army pursued its reforms, and how have dynamics in civil-military relations changed? In line with Xi’s call for a "new type of major power relations," do we see new dynamics between China and the US? How should we interpret China’s perceived more assertive diplomacy in recent times? And as China’s profile and interests continue to grow, how have Chinese leaders balanced foreign expectations with domestic priorities? These are puzzles that have been inadequately investigated and which this book helps to unpack. Its insights speak to the larger drama of China’s rise and will help shed light on China’s putative resolve to reclaim its historic role as the world’s leading power, an ambition with profound implications for the region and the world.

Hoo Tiang Boon is Assistant Professor, Li Mingjiang is Associate Professor and James Char a Research Analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of Internaitonal Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore