Abstract
The concept of power, a keyword in International Relations (IR) theory, has long polarized academic attention in China. In the 1990s and early 21st century, many Chinese academics concentrated their energies on gauging the comprehensive national power of major world powers. But, in contrast to their foreign peers, Chinese scholars have tended to underestimate China’s comprehensive national power. In the first decade of the 2000s, soft power superseded comprehensive national power as a main focus of attention in China’s academia, and variations in China’s foreign policy accompanied this shift of scholarly focus. Traditional policies such as ‘keeping a low profile’ and ‘never seek hegemony’ were questioned, while new slogans, such as ‘be a responsible great power’ and ‘peaceful rise’ gained more support. The study of Chinese scholars’ perception of power is helpful for understanding China’s foreign policy choices.
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