Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines China’s UN participation from 1971 up to the mid-1980s. It develops a framework of strategic preferences (SP) and flesh out China’s archetypal strategic preferences in the UN setting. The book deals with a number of criteria for ideational theorizing. It draws upon both primary and secondary sources such as public statements, speeches by the top leadership, diplomats’ memoirs and personal interviews, and scholarly writings on China-UN interaction. The book also examines China’s behaviour towards use of force in peace enforcement and peacekeeping – in particular, China’s actions taken in the Council decision-making resulting in SCR 678 on 29 November 1991. It considers China’s actions over UN Security Council decision-making on economic sanctions and embargoes against Iraq. The book looks into China’s position regarding the debate about the easing of sanctions over the period and assesses the limits of China’s support.