Re-conceptualizing China's rise as a global power: a neo-tributary perspective

Abstract

Two analytical perspectives – conventional wisdom derived from warlordism and European colonialism, and soft-power concepts drawn from post-Cold-War American international relations – are prevalent lenses for analysing China's global rise. However, neither considers the role of the past in shaping China's contemporary diplomacy. This paper fills the gap of this under-researched area by providing an alternative perspective featuring analytic categories rooted in China's tributary tradition. It proposes a neo-tributary framework for systematically interpreting historical Chinese mentalities and strategies embedded in China's contemporary power strategy.

Keywords:

• International relations
• global power
• rising power
• tributary system
• neo-tributary
• China

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive and insightful comments on the earlier version of this article. Su-Yan Pan is thankful to the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, whose Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme (Ref. No: R9301–HSSPFS-HKIEd-802-HSS-13) granted her extended time-off to focus on research and academic writing that have greatly benefited her work on this article.

Additional information

Funding

Research Grants Council, Hong Kong