Conclusion: Recognizing Chinese International Relations Theory

Abstract

More than a century ago, the American scholar and diplomat Paul S. Reinsch observed that the ‘suddenness with which the entire perspective of the political world has been changed by China is unprecedented. That country, without question, has become the focal point of international politics’ (Reinsch 1900: 83). Such statements illustrate the complex dynamic of continuity and change in world affairs — thus, while the context of Reinsch’s proclamation has changed significantly from his day, the patterns of interaction that it refers to appear to show remarkable resilience. In this respect, as Roger Beaumont (1994: 145) has quipped, there is something quite paradoxically implicit in any attempt to conclude the observation of a complex and constantly moving target — especially one as dynamic as China and its expanding international relations. The sequential unfolding of uncertainties, dilemmas, and contingencies works against focusing analysis and drawing neat conclusions on a research subject that keeps on evolving and altering the patterns and trajectories of its international outlook, as well as the contexts to which it is being applied.