ABSTRACT
Academic reflections on IR theory have entered a geo-cultural stage: perspectives sustaining the idea of “one world, many theories” (Walt 1998: 30) are gradually being replaced by those which argue that many worlds exist in which one hundred flowers are about to blossom. Globalization in its economic aspect has not overshadowed the geo-cultural diversity of the world; it brings various regionalisms along with forms of globalization. Thus, reflective IR studies that broaden our perspectives to include non-Western studies are increasingly important. China should be a major focus of this broadening process for two reasons. First, Chinese civilization is one of the most ancient and continuous in the world. Second, China’s rise has been one of the most remarkable phenomena of the twenty-first century and raises growing concerns about a China threat. We might ask: Will China’s geo-strategic rise also bring with it the rise of Chinese IR theory?
