China and the contending barbarians: Beijing's view of the contemporary world order

Abstract

The question of how the present leadership in the People's Republic of China views the international order is crucial to our understanding of Beijing's approach to world problems as well as its defence and security postures. In Beijing's assessment of the strategic balance, the 'distant superpower', the United States, is a waning (albeit still formidable) world power, while the 'near superpower', the recently expansionist-minded Soviet Union, is regarded as the most immediate threat to China in particular and to world peace and stability in general. This paper, which is based upon an article by the author which was published in World Review, Volume 20, Number 4 (October 1981), explores the Chinese assessment in light of recent events and discusses the strategies or postures that have been devised as correlates to it, including the 'broad united front' with the United States. It also identifies some of the resources that China can presently bring to bear in the international arena, as well as some of those factors which may limit China's activities or objectives. Show more