ABSTRACT
For scholars of China’s international relations, the crucial question that has been asked and debated frequently is this: what essentially drives China’s international behavior? Over the past decades, observers have proffered a wide variety of explanations. Some argue that China’s international policy has been largely motivated by the pursuit of power and other national interests and there is essentially no difference between China and many other nations in this regard (Mearsheimer 2001). Others argue that domestic politics in China are also significant in engendering foreign policy outcomes (Shirk 2007; Swaine 1995; Fravel 2005; Gill and Medeiros 2000; Li 2008a, 2009a). Still others argue that China is unique in that its culture has had an important impact on its foreign policy. Many scholars in this school of thought are inclined to believe that China’s Confucian culture has served as the intellectual backdrop for China’s decision-makers and has led to notably different foreign and security policy patterns in the case of China as compared with many other countries (Feng 2007). In relation to culture, some analysts argue that the history of China’s encounters with the outside world, particularly its neighborhood, is also an important factor in understanding China’s international behavior (Kang 2003). However, it is important to note that there are different views on the cultural influence on China’s international relations (Johnston 1995).
