Foreign Policy Decision-Making Process in Deng’s China: Three Patterns for Analysis

This paper analyzes the decision-making patterns of China’s foreign policy. There are three patterns in Deng’s China: the leader in command, the collective leadership, and the bureaucratic organization. In general, the issues of national security and the guidelines of foreign policy were made by the leader in command pattern. The preeminent leader Deng Xiaoping, the vital elders, and the members of the Politburo Standing Committee played important roles in the process of decision-making. The secondary foreign policy directories and the most important practical issues were made by the collective leadership pattern. The members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the Central Secretariat from 1980-1987, and the Politburo after 1987 played important parts in the process of decision-making. The other less important practical issues were always made by the bureaucratic organization pattern.