The Domestic Politics Behind China’s International Engagement
| Author | Matthias Stepan,Jane Duckett |
| Date | 01 March 2018 |
| Published date | 01 March 2018 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2041905818764707 |
APRIL 2018 • POLITICAL INSIGHT 37
The 19th congress of the Chinese
Communist party (CCP) in
October 2017 was notable
for a number of reasons.
Xi Jinping consolidated his position
as China’s unchallenged leader. The
congress also conrmed the Communist
party leadership’s growing international
condence and ambitions – ambitions,
which if realised, will have an enormous
global reach. China is already the world’s
second largest economy, and is set to
become the largest by 2030.
European political and business elites
are increasingly keen to strike deals with a
growing China. In early 2018, Theresa May
met Xi in Beijing, ostensibly to cement
trade links between the two countries.
China is certainly growing in inuence. But
international leaders need to recognise
that China’s main foreign policy drivers
are – at least for now – attempts to solve
The Domestic Politics
Behind China’s
International Engagement
As China is playing an increasingly prominent role on the global stage,
many European leaders are seeking to do deals with Beijing. But they
need to realise that China’s international engagement is driven primarily
by domestic concerns, write Jane Duckett and Matthias Stepan.
domestic challenges. The CCP’s focus is
on raising living standards and sustaining
economic growth, eradicating poverty,
reducing inequalities and tackling pollution.
It is currently these goals that shape China’s
international engagement, rather than
attempts to promote a particular ideology
or become the world’s next hegemon.
China’s domestic politics shape the
actions of Chinese businesses and other
NGOs. The CCP is currently innovating its
political system, simultaneously using new
consultative mechanisms to understand
its population’s wants and needs while
tightening control over both public and
private sector. As European governments,
businesses and NGOs increase their
© Press Association
Political Insight April 2018.indd 37 19/02/2018 11:19
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