ABSTRACT
In Chapter 2, Derek J. Mitchell opens the volume with an historical overview of China’s relations with the outside world from the imperial era to the present day. He traces continuities and change in China’s approach over the centuries, from its tributary relationships with “barbarians” beyond its cultural and territorial boundaries during its imperial days, to Beijing’s support for national liberation movements in the Third World during the Cold War, to the reawakening of economic and political interest in the developing world in recent years. Mitchell explains that echoes of China’s traditional principles and approaches to dealing with lesser-developed areas along its border and beyond continue to inform its contemporary international outlook and policies.
