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34 Washington Q. 7 (2011)

handle is hein.journals/wingtqurl34 and id is 1 raw text is: Coping with a Conflicted
China
2009-2010 will be remembered as the years in which China became
difficult for the world to deal with, as Beijing exhibited increasingly tough and
truculent behavior toward many of its neighbors in Asia, as well as the United
States and the European Union. Even its ties in Africa and Latin America
became somewhat strained, adding to its declining global image since 2007.1
Beijing's disturbing behavior has many observers wondering how long its new
toughness will last. Is it a temporary or secular trend? If it is a longer-term and
qualitative shift toward greater assertiveness and arrogance, how should other
nations respond?
What the world is witnessing in China's new posture is in part the product of
an ongoing intensive internal debate, and represents a current consensus among
the more conservative and nationalist elements to toughen its policies and
selectively throw China's weight around. Although there seems to be domestic
agreement at present, China remains a deeply conflicted rising power with a
series of competing international identities. Many new voices and actors are
now part of an unprecedentedly complex foreign-policymaking process.2
Consequently, China's foreign policy often exhibits diverse and contradictory
emphases. Understanding these competing identities is crucial to anticipating
how Beijing's increasingly contradictory and multidimensional behavior will
play out on the world stage. Each orientation carries different policy implications
for the United States and other nations.
David Shambaugh is Professor of Political Science & International Affairs and Director of the
China Policy Program at George Washington University, as well as a nonresident Senior
Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution. This article has benefited from
the Worldviews of Aspiring Powers project of the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at George
Washington University, particularly Project Directors, Professors Henry Nau and Deepa
Ollapally, as well as colleague Ren Xiao.
Copyright © 2011 David Shambaugh
The Washington Quarterly  34:1 pp. 7-27
DOI: 10.1080/0163660X.2011.537974
THE WASHINGTON QUARTERLY U WINTER 2011

David Shambaugh

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