ABSTRACT
Since 1978 there has been a sea change in China’s foreign policy and the ideology through which China’s leaders have interpreted international affairs as well as China’s national interests. China’s integration into the international community and participation in international institutions has led to claims that China is increasingly socialized into the established norms and rules of international order (Chan 2006; Johnston 2008; Kent 2007). However, it has been argued that one cannot have a proper understanding of China’s present-day international behavior without a sound grasp of its past. Thus, in understanding China’s international behavior, it is important not to overlook the underlying continuities of its foreign policy goals.
