ABSTRACT
The concept of sovereignty and the debates about it have always been at the center of the system of public international law. Views about the nature and purposes of sovereignty and its rightful place in international law have varied from time to time and from place to place.1 In this regard, the Chinese concept of sovereignty is particularly interesting, not only because it differs significantly from that of other major states, but also because it has significant bearings on the future international behavior of China, which is poised to play a major leading role on the world stage.
