China's strategic narratives of the war in Ukraine : variations and nuances

Abstract

This book is among the first to map out China’s strategic narratives in the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Recognizing that the Chinese actors involved with and influencing Chinese foreign policy has continued to grow under the leadership of Xi Jinping, the authors shed light on the nuances and variations of distinctive sources of China’s foreign policy with regard to the current war in Ukraine. They empirically analyse the nuances and variations of Chinese sources of foreign policy and illuminate China’s possible course of action and role in response to current and future international security crises. In particular, the book seeks to answer the following questions: What strategic narratives have China’s official sources of foreign policy disseminated concerning the war in Ukraine? What do Chinese MFA, media and think tank strategic narratives reveal about China’s view of, identity in relation to and potential solutions for the conflict in Ukraine? To what extent are these narratives consistent and or competitive? The research argues that China’s strategic narratives project different views, values and solutions to the current war, thereby reflecting the lack of a top-down masterplan on security issues and conflicts. In turn, China’s contradictory strategic narratives provide evidence that China’s foreign and security policy is a work in progress, raising the necessity to acknowledge some degree of uncertainty with respect to China’s future intentions.