China’s Peaceful Rise: From Narrative to Practice
China proposed its “peaceful rise” strategy in 2003 as a signal to the world of its peaceful intentions during its rising process. The strategy is not only a discursive response to the “China threat” theory of the 1990s but also a rational policy choice based on both domestic economic needs and international conditions. In practice, China’s “peaceful rise” strategy highlights four priorities in its foreign policy: major powers, neighboring states, developing countries, and international institutions. Although this strategy is rooted in Deng Xiaoping’s “keeping-a-low-profile” policy principle, it has also experienced necessary adjustments along with China’s increasing power capabilities, as evidenced by China’s assertive turn in diplomacy after 2008. China’s “peaceful rise” strategy will face two challenges in the future. Domestically, the country’s economic growth model and political and social uncertainties might change the direction of its foreign policy. Internationally, the outside world can shape China’s rise as much as China can shape the world.