Resurgent nationalism has become an important driver of China’s foreign policy, and many countries are concerned about its evident new assertiveness. This article argues that closer attention to the vigorous internal debate among its international relations (IR) experts about their country’s future external strategies will add perspective to those concerns. It contends that the views of these experts provide probably the best available window into China’s thinking about its international options. China’s IR experts have been conspicuously divided about the appropriate balance of strategies for its transition from a previously cautious and inward-looking foreign policy to a more ambitious and proactive agenda. In particular, they differ about the relative emphasis that should be placed on the pursuit of national interests versus the advancement of international interests. This debate reflects contradictory elements in China’s foreign policy under Xi Jinping, some of which may potentially lead to confrontation and conflict while others hold out the prospect of continuing constructive engagement. Greater understanding of expert views within China about managing and reconciling these contradictory trends is likely to provide valuable insights for researchers and decision-makers in China and other countries.