The foreign relations of the People's Republic of China have gone
through dramatic change since 1949. The strong-man rule of Mao Zedong
and the Chinese Communist Party leader's dominance of Chinese foreign
policy decision making for three decades witnessed dramatic swings in
alignment, repeated and strong commitments to revolutionary goals and
ideals, and spasms of destructive mass campaigns within China that
spilled over to impact Chinese foreign relations. Contrastingly, as
China emerged in the 21st century as an economic and military power
second only to the United States, the new generations of Chinese leaders
followed collaborative and consultative patterns of foreign policy
making at home and abroad, seeking to sustain into the coming decades
the generally favorable recent international circumstances seen as
providing a prolonged period of strategic opportunity for China's
economic and broader national development. Historical Dictionary of
Chinese Foreign Policy covers the more than 60 years of the foreign
policy of the People's Republic of China. It provides reliable and
comprehensive information and assessments about the major actors,
developments, and other aspects of the foreign policy and foreign
relations of the People's Republic of China. This is done through a
chronology, an introductory essay, and over 500 cross-referenced
dictionary entries dealing with important individuals, events, and other
aspects of the foreign policy of this important country. It is an
excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to
know more about Chinese foreign policy.
