New foreign policy actors in China

About this book

In contemporary China a cacophony of voices urges decision makers to pursue a variety of foreign policies. The continuing pluralization of Chinese society and China's growing interdependence with the international order have made decision-making processes more complex. These changes, taking place at a time when China's cooperation is increasingly vital to the resolution of key global issues, present a challenge to foreign policy makers. Effective engagement of China in the international arena requires an understanding of the interplay within and between not only the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese Government and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) but also new foreign policy actors on the margins of the traditional power structure. These new actors include resource companies, financial institutions, local governments, research organizations, the media and netizens. These three trends, fractured authority, varying views of the degree to which China should internationalize and the demands that China defend its core interests, are changing the nature of Chinese foreign policy formulation and the way China interacts with the outside world. Only by persistently engaging a broad spectrum of Chinese foreign policy actors, recognizing the variations in their perspectives and concerns, and integrating them into engagement strategies can foreign policy makers succeed in securing China's cooperation.