Ancient Chinese Thought Modern Chinese Power (The Princeton-China Series)

About this book

From Chinas most influential foreign policy thinker a vision for a "Beijing Consensus" for international relations The rise of China could be the most important political development of the twenty-first century. What will China look like in the future? What should it look like? And what will Chinas rise mean for the rest of world? This book written by Chinas most influential foreign policy thinker sets out a vision for the coming decades from Chinas point of view. In the West Yan Xuetong is often regarded as a hawkish policy advisor and enemy of liberal internationalists. But a very different picture emerges from this book as Yan examines the lessons of ancient Chinese political thought for the future of China and the development of a "Beijing consensus" in international relations. Yan it becomes clear is neither a communist who believes that economic might is the key to national power nor a neoconservative who believes that China should rely on military might to get its way. Rather Yan argues political leadership is the key to national power and morality is an essential part of political leadership. Economic and military might are important components of national power but they are secondary to political leaders who act in accordance with moral norms and the same holds true in determining the hierarchy of the global order. Providing new insights into the thinking of one of Chinas leading foreign policy figures this book will be essential reading for anyone interested in Chinas rise or in international relations.