China's Post-Deng Foreign Relations
| Date | 01 March 1998 |
| Published date | 01 March 1998 |
| DOI | 10.1177/002070209805300107 |
| Author | Denny Roy |
| Subject Matter | Essay |
DENNY
ROY
China's
post-Deng
foreign
relations
Te
impact
of
Deng
Xiaoping's
leadership
on China's foreign
relations
was
as
great
as
on
its
domestic
politics.
The
exit
of
a
ruler
of
Deng's
stature
potentially
clears
the
way
for
the kinds
of
momentous
changes
that
occurred
in
Chinese
foreign
policy
after
Deng
succeeded
Mao
Zedong
to
the
paramount
leadership. But
such
fundamental
change
has
not
occurred
in
the
immediate
wake
of
Deng's
death
in
February
1997.
While
Jiang
Zemin's
need to
consolidate
his
position
may
exac-
erbate
tensions
on
certain
issues
between
China
and
some foreign
powers,
particularly
the United
States,
the
long-term
trends
in
China's
foreign
relations
are
generally
unaffected
by
the
leadership
transition.
Even in
maintaining
its
present
course,
however,
post-Deng
China
will
likely
arrive
at
crossroads
which
have
significant
and uncertain
conse-
quences for
its
foreign
relations,
and
indeed
for
peace
and
stability
in
the
Asia-Pacific
region.
It
is
useful
at
the
outset
to
identify
some
of
the
important
elements
of
Chinas
foreign relations
that
have changed
with
Deng's
passing
and
equally
useful
to
point
up
those
which
have
not.
CHANGES
AND
CONTINUITIES
To
be
sure,
Deng's
death
changes
the environment
of
foreign
policy
making
in
the
People's
Republic
of
China
(PRC).
The
era
of
ultra-para-
mount
leaders
such
as
Mao
and
Deng
appears
to
be
over.
With
Deng's
This
article
was
written
when
the
author
was
a
Research
Fellow
at
the
Strategic
and
Defence
Studies
Centre,
Australian
National
Universio•
Canberra.
INTERNATIONAL
JOURNAL Winter
1997-8
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