CHINA'S FOREIGN POLICY AND SECURITY PERCEPTIONS

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of China's foreign policy and security perceptions in the mid-1990s. It examines how China was adapting its foreign policy to the new post-Cold War international system, which was characterized by unipolarity and globalization. The study explores the core principles of China's foreign policy, including its emphasis on sovereignty, non-interference, and the creation of a peaceful and stable external environment to facilitate its domestic economic modernization. The research analyzes China's evolving security perceptions, focusing on its concerns about US hegemony, the future of Taiwan, and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The paper argues that China was pursuing a pragmatic and cautious foreign policy, aimed at avoiding confrontation while gradually increasing its economic and political influence. The analysis concludes by assessing the long-term strategic goals of China as it emerged as a major global power.

The post-Cold War era presented both significant opportunities and profound challenges for Chinese foreign policy. This paper delves into the key aspects of China's foreign policy and security perceptions during this critical period of transition. The analysis begins by outlining the domestic context, emphasizing that the paramount goal of the Chinese leadership was to ensure political stability and pursue rapid economic development. This overriding domestic priority, the paper argues, was the primary driver of China's desire for a peaceful international environment. The core of the study is an examination of China's evolving security perceptions. It details Beijing's concerns about the "unipolar moment" and the perceived threat of American hegemonism. The paper also analyzes China's key regional security concerns, including the cross-strait relationship with Taiwan, the potential for instability on the Korean Peninsula, and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. The second part of the paper explores the corresponding foreign policy strategy. It describes a policy of "hiding brightness and biding time," a pragmatic approach that focused on building economic strength, diversifying diplomatic partnerships, and avoiding direct confrontation with the United States. The findings suggest that China was playing a long game, skillfully using diplomacy and economic engagement to enhance its comprehensive national power and gradually reshape the regional and global order in its favor.