The Significance of Xi Jinping’s “Chinese Dream” for Chinese Foreign Policy: From “Tao Guang Yang Hui” to “Fen Fa You Wei”

Abstract

In order to gain a better understanding of the newer and more assertive features of Chinese foreign policy in recent years, this article examines Xi Jinping's "Chinese dream" for clues of how the Chinese leadership sees China's international role evolve. In their speeches and statements on the "Chinese dream", Chinese leaders generally promote it as a continuation of China's peaceful development strategy. However, looking more carefully there are some rather innovative elements, which support analyses from Chinese International Relations scholars that point to a gradual development of new thinking and a new approach in China's foreign policy strategy under Xi that indicate big changes in the way that China engages with the international system.