Biwu Zhang Chinese Perceptions of the U.S.

Annotation

China threat has been one of hotly debated topics since the early 1990s, and this book is an effort to test the China threat thesis. The author argues that a test of the China threat thesis requires addressing two fundamental questions: whether China has the capabilities to challenge the international system and whether China has the motivations to do so. This book will offer a systematic study of Chinas foreign policy motivations by resorting to an image approach. The conclusion as to whether China is a status quo or a revisionist country will be reached by exploring how consideration of national interests and how Chinas perceptions of key characters of the U.S. affect Chinas foreign policy orientation. A summary of the dominant Chinese images of the U.S. will also contribute to understanding Chinas motivations vis-a-vis the U.S.