1st Edition

Chinese Grand Strategy in the 21st Century According to Plan?

By Thomas M. Kane, Noah Falkovich Copyright 2024

    This book examines the state of China’s grand strategy in the 21st century, including political, military and economic factors.

    Over the past two decades, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has attained the second highest gross domestic product in the world, taken a leadership role in East Asian regional organisations and substantially improved its military capabilities. Each of these developments – and many others like them – have attracted attention from scholars, journalists and policymakers. Less frequently acknowledged – but perhaps of greater significance – is the impressive congruence of Beijing’s accomplishments. This book highlights how the PRC’s successes support one another and pave the way for future accomplishments, and how these successes seem to be achieved in an unusually coherent and purposeful way. As Beijing’s relations with the rest of the world continue to evolve, with events ranging from the ongoing global economic crisis to the turbulence in China’s own stock market which may bring the PRC’s government under pressure to re-order its priorities, this book assesses China’s grand strategy and long-term approach to national policy. It identifies the political, military and economic instruments it is likely to use, the key challenges which it will face, and explores the implications for the global community.

    This book will be of great interest to students of Chinese politics, foreign policy, strategic studies, international security and IR in general.

    The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official guidance or position of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. Air Force, or the U.S. Space Force. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the DoD of the linked websites, or the information, products, or services contained therein. The DoD does not exercise any editorial, security, or other control over the information you may find at these locations.

    1. Introduction

    2. Strategic Imperatives and Historical Responses 

    3. Combine the Military and the Civil?

    4. The New PLA

    5. Shadow Security 

    6. The View from the Middle  

    7. The View from Above

    8. Every Action…

    9. Conclusion 

    Biography

    Thomas M. Kane is the author of eight books on world politics and strategy, notably Chinese Grand Strategy and Maritime Power (Routledge, 2002). He has addressed the Advanced Command and Staff College of the British armed forces on the strategic significance of Southeast Asia and was formerly a senior lecturer at the University of Hull.

    Noah E. Falkovich is a graduate of the University of Maine's School of Policy and International Affairs (SPIA), with an MA in international security and foreign policy. He currently serves as a guardian in the US Space Force.