Publication

This paper examines the attitude of Chinese International Relations (IR) scholars towards Chinese power in relation to the United States; their perceptions of US Policy in Asia; and their preference for an assertive Chinese foreign policy. Relying on an original survey conducted in Beijing in 2013 and using structural equation modeling (SEM), the authors find that both the power perception and policy reaction arguments made by the scholars regarding China’s assertive diplomacy make sense. However, their research also suggests that a more pessimistic view on Chinese power is more likely to be associated with a preference for an assertive foreign policy.