Special Topics in International Relations: Chinese Foreign Policy

China’s rise is one of the most important issues in international affairs today. The consequences
of China’s increasing power and influence touch on all aspects of international relations, from
trade to military affairs, climate change to entertainment. This course provides an overview of
the major developments in contemporary Chinese foreign policy since the establishment of the
People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. We will seek to answer questions such as: to what
extent is Chinese foreign policy simply a reflection of systemic variables such as shifts in the
balance of power? What roles do ideology, culture, leadership psychology and domestic politics
play?