Conclusion

Abstract

This chapter summarizes the key arguments of the book. It points out two key common conceptual development patterns of “New Type of Great Power Relations”, “Belt and Road Initiative” and “Community of Shared Future for Mankind”. While these three concepts reflect new development under Xi Jinping’s leadership, they are built on the thinking of previous Chinese leadership. Thus, their conceptual development is path-dependent. More importantly, the development of all three concepts follows a “soft” opening approach. They were put forward by Xi as undefined ideas with no blueprint. The process of giving them meanings occurred in a subsequent and incremental manner, in which China’s academic and policy community played a key role. This chapter also discusses how this slogan politics approach can be used to understand other Chinese foreign policy concepts.