ABSTRACT
Chinese philosophical thinking has deep cultural and historical roots impacting Chinese strategic behavior. According to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Confucianism, the Chinese are a people who love peace and harmony. Even the military strategist Sun Zi2 stated the preferred strategic goal is to win a war without fighting (resorting to the use of force). This chapter provides a historical analysis of how different strategic cultures were formed during the Warring States Period in China by exploring the different schools of thought and how they evolved and were practiced in China’s international relations. It will also discuss China’s Confucian strategic culture, which provides a guidepost for Chinese strategic preferences. While Johnston argues that Chinese strategic culture exhibits an aggressive and expansionist preference, this chapter provides evidence from history that challenges Johnston’s interpretation. To assess the merits of the Parabellum hypothesis of China’s strategic culture and war, I use operational code analysis. This chapter will also look into why and how the operational code construct can help provide a valid and reliable explanation of Chinese strategic culture and beliefs.
