The Inertia of Tradition in the Era of Modernization: The Influence of Sinocentrism on Chinese Foreign Policy (From Deng Xiaoping to Xi Jinping)

Abstract

The present study analyzes the influence of Sinocentrism, understood as a resilient civilizational self perception and cognitive matrix, on the evolution of the foreign policy of the People’s Republic of China from the reforms of Deng Xiaoping to the rule of Xi Jinping. Drawing on the social constructivist paradigm, the paper approaches China not as a classical Westphalian nation-state, but as a “civilization-state, whose international behavior is shaped by a sense of historical centrality, the collective trauma of the “Century of Humiliation,” and the aspiration to restore historical justice.

The central finding of the study is the operationalization of Sinocentrism through three analytical dimensions: epistemic superiority, normative autonomy, and institutional alternatives. These dimensions are used to assess the transformation of China’s foreign policy doctrines across different historical periods:

During the era of Deng Xiaoping, Sinocentrism was transformed into “strategic restraint” and the preservation of national autonomy.

During the periods of Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, it manifested itself through integration into global institutions, particularly the WTO, and the development of regional asymmetries through frameworks such as ASEAN and the SCO.

Under Xi Jinping, Sinocentrism acquired a more explicit normative and discursive character through the concept of “national rejuvenation” and global initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The study concludes that contemporary Chinese foreign policy does not represent merely an adaptation to the international system, but rather constitutes a continuation of a long-term historical process in which Beijing seeks to synthesize its historical self perception with its growing capabilities in order to establish elements of a centralized and alternative international order.