ABSTRACT
Political culture is the resilient factor in the global interaction among different nations and civilizations. It is formed in the long historical process and is unlikely to be transformed in a short time. Compared to the West, China has a long tradition of centralized power structure supported by a strong tradition of authoritarian political culture. The international order has been so far an expansion of the European multi-state system, and as such it will encounter long-term difficulties in integrating countries like China, whose distinctive political culture is almost the direct opposite of the European political culture. To enable mutual understanding, this article tries to decipher the main features of Chinese political culture through a systematic comparison with the West. How China will influence the international order is still an open question.
