Is China Becoming More Aggressive? A Neoclassical Realist Analysis

In this article I seek to improve the dominant neorealist analysis of China’s rise. I offer a neoclassical realist analytical framework in order to identify the influence of certain Chinese domestic developments and priorities on Chinese foreign and security policy behavior. Rather than reflecting a more self-confident and aggressive China, developments in Chinese foreign and security policy in recent years reveal an internally conflicted, inward-looking, and reactive China not yet ready for its new international role. Beijing is uncertain how to manage the challenges and the inevitable tension, both domestically and internationally, arising from China’s rapid development.