ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly outlines the evolution of Chinese policy toward the developing world during the era of Deng Xiaoping, from an ideologically oriented foreign policy to one oriented around economic interests. It describes the tensions that were built into Beijing's foreign policy during the 1990s and resulted in the shift toward a more proactive and politically engaged foreign policy after 1997. The chapter summarizes the characteristics or elements of China's new diplomacy as they relate to Beijing's activities in the developing world. China's soft power today unlike during the Cold War is largely generated spontaneously by its own society and semiautonomous institutions. Beijing has embraced multilateralism and confidence-building measures to mitigate security concerns. It has identified a number of states and regional organizations as "strategic partners". It has sought to increase its equity stakes in resource exploitation. According to a recent survey, China is seen as having a significantly more positive impact in the world than the United States.
