ABSTRACT
Since the establ ishment o f the People's Republ ic of Ch ina (PRC) i n 1949 a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y after the o p e n i n g b r o u g h t about b y r e f o r m began i n 1978, Ch ina has become an increas ingly i n f l uen t i a l p layer i n reg iona l and g loba l affairs. Increas ingly b o t h A m e r i c a n a n d European students are t u r n i n g to the s t u d y of Chinese po l i t i cs a n d fo re ign p o l i c y M a n y p o l i c y analysts, business leaders, a n d g o v e r n m e n t a l officials have deve loped interests i n the sources, process, a n d significance o f China ' s reemergence as a g loba l economic a n d p o l i t i c a l force. I n con junc t ion w i t h r a p i d economic g r o w t h a n d p r o f o u n d social t r ans fo rmat ion , China ' s fo re ign p o l i c y is experienc i n g a s ignif icant t r ans i t ion .
