The launching of economic and political reforms in 1978 has transformed China's standing in world politics. A new power has emerged. Yet, after more than four decades, the question of how to understand and interpret China's foreign policy remains a source of debate and contention.

Nicholas Khoo examines China's arrival as a major power in contemporary world politics, making the case for a neorealist model highlighting the operation of state interests and relative power. He illuminates the relevance of economic and military power projection, spiral dynamics, and the use of wedge strategies to split adversaries. Khoo also reviews influential alternative theories of Chinese foreign policy that emphasize the concepts of trade, identity, socialization, domestic politics, and the security dilemma.

Presenting readers with an analysis of the major issues and theoretical debates on China's role in bringing the Cold War to a close in East Asia, and its relations with the US and Japan, China's Foreign Policy since 1978 will be of great interest to university students at all levels, as well as specialists on Chinese foreign policy, East Asian international relations, and international security.

About the Author
Nicholas Khoo, Associate Professor, Politics Programme, University of Otago, New Zealand

Reviews
'China's Foreign Policy since 1978: Return to Power is a necessity for the academic library and a must-read for all students and academicians interested in China's foreign affairs.' -- Irieda Hamzaj, Insight Turkey
'The book offers a theoretically driven and empirically rich analysis of China's foreign policy. It will be of interest to scholars and policy analysts who want to understand China's foreign policy from a realist perspective.' -- Kai He, Contemporary Southeast Asia

'Nicholas Khoo employs deep knowledge and keen insight in this masterful assessment of China's post-Cold War rise in Asia to stake out a persuasive neorealist argument viewing China's behavior as based fundamentally on state interests and relative power. With extensive research in Chinese and foreign sources, this clear and informative analysis lays down an important marker in the ongoing debate on how the world should view China's rise.'

-- Robert Sutter, The George Washington University, US
'China's Foreign Policy since 1978: Return to Power provides an excellent, fast-paced review of the emerging bi-polar world created by the increasingly competitive US-China relationship. China, the United States, Japan, and the ASEAN countries must accept a new normal that will be more competitive and conflictual. Khoo's latest book can be used as a text for both graduate and undergraduate courses on the international relations of East and Southeast Asia.' -- Karl Jackson, Johns Hopkins University, US



Book Information
ISBN 9781839103049
Author Nicholas Khoo
Format Hardback
Page Count 192
Imprint Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd