THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Elliott School of International Affairs
Department of Political Science
Foreign Policy of the People’s Republic of China
Political Science 6372, CRN 95307
Fall 2011
Mondays, 5:10-7:00 p.m.
Elliott School, 1957 E St., NW #308
Professor David Shambaugh
Office: 1957 E St., #503
Office Hours: (by appt.):
Mondays 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Email: shambaug@gwu.edu
COURSE MECHANICS
Course Description
This graduate-level course covers the foreign relations of the People’s Republic of China. The
temporal focus of the course will be on the contemporary (post-1949) period. Readings, lectures,
and discussion will focus on the sources of China’s international conduct, its interactions with
major powers and neighboring countries, its participation in international regimes, and its
national security environment and coercive capabilities.
In addition to learning about the substance of these facets of China’s foreign relations and
security, the course conveys several important practical skills to students: critical analysis;
forecasting; oral presentation and policy advocacy; teamwork; and primary source research.
Different assignments are designed to develop and advance these skills.
There are no formal prerequisites other than a strong interest in China, and a willingness to read
a fair amount and work hard. Students with no background in contemporary Chinese affairs may
find their work cut out for them, and therefore some background in Chinese or Asian history and
international relations is highly desirable.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Readings
The first course requirement is to do all of the required readings in advance of each class session.
As required readings are sometimes heavy (approximately one book per week), if you cannot do
it all, read as much as possible. Students are also expected to go beyond the books that are the
required and recommended readings to read more deeply into the subject matter—there is an
enormous amount of useful reading in the periodical literature in journals like International
Security, Survival, The China Quarterly, The China Journal, The Journal of Contemporary
China, China: An International Journal, Chinese Security, Issues & Studies, Asian Survey, The
National Interest, etc.
There are eleven books that are required for reading and recommended for purchase. While this
may be prohibitively expensive for some, you may wish to use library copies or share in
purchases. All are available in the GWU Bookstore, as well as from http://www.amazon.com.
REQUIRED READING:
Christopher Ford, The Mind of Empire: China’s History and Modern Foreign Relations
Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy
Lowell Dittmer and George T. Yu (eds.), China, the Developing World, and the New Global
Dynamic
David Shambaugh (ed.), Power Shift: China & Asia’s New Dynamics
David Shambaugh, Eberhard Sandschneider, and Zhou Hong (eds.), China-Europe
Relations: Perceptions, Policies & Prospects
David Shambaugh, Modernizing China’s Military: Progress, Problems & Prospects
Richard Rosecrance and Gu Guoliang (eds.), Power and Restraint: A Shared Vision for the U.S.China Relationship
Elizabeth Wishnick, Russia, China, and the United States in Central Asia
Yong Deng, China’s Struggle for Status: The Realignment of International Relations
Joshua Kurlantzick, Charm Offensive: How China’s Soft Power is Transforming the World
David Shambaugh (ed.), Charting China’s Future: Domestic & International Challenges
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In the Classroom
Most class sessions will be a combination of professorial lecture and student discussion of the
topics. Sessions 5-9 will be student-led presentations and discussion. If you are going to miss
class, please notify the instructor in advance, do the required readings, and get notes from a
classmate.
Course Assignments
Students will be required to write two papers and make an in-class presentation during the
semester—each aimed at developing different skills.
The first written assignment will be an exercise in forecasting. Based on the readings for the
session you choose from Sessions 5-9, you are to imagine that you are part of a drafting team for
a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) at the National Intelligence Council. The topic of the NIE
will be: “China and XXX: Factors Affecting the Future Evolution of the Relationship.” This
paper should be ten terse double-spaced pages, including an Executive Summary of 300 words,
and should forecast 2-3 years into the future what China’s relations with the
country/region/organization selected will look like and why, i.e. what are the principal variables
and factors that have previously shaped the chosen relationship and how will they impact on its
future evolution? An NIE template will be distributed by the instructor. No footnotes are to be
included, but a bibliography of sources consulted should be appended. This paper is due in
class on the topic you have selected together with the group presentation.
This paper assignment is tied to a team exercise that imitates a National Intelligence Council
briefing. Students will be evenly divided into groups paralleling sessions 5-9 and will present a
group forecast similar to the NIE. The presentations should be divided into three parts: (a)
introduction and overview of the variables affecting the relationship; (b) in-depth evaluation of
main variables; (c) presentation of 3 alternative scenarios (with explanation of why each is
more/less likely).
The second written assignment is an exercise in primary source research and scholarship. All
graduate students should know how to research an extensive and detailed study (of any aspect of
post-1949 Chinese foreign affairs). It should be based largely on primary sources (in English
and/or Chinese). The selection of the paper topic should be done in consultation with the
instructor early in the semester, the topic must be approved, and it must be on a
subject/region different from the NIE assignment. This research paper should run
approximately 20 double-spaced pages and is due anytime during the semester, but no later
than Session 14. It should contain full footnote citations (according to Chicago style preferably)
Ph.D.-track students in the Department of Political Science are required to write one additional
paper during the semester: a ten-page critical literature review of any single topic on the syllabus.
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Grading
Grades will be comprised of the following components:
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NIE paper (30%)
Research paper (50%)
Classroom presentation (20%)
Ph.D. students’ research paper will count 30% and literature review (20%).
*NOTE: all late papers are penalized one full letter grade for every 3 days late (or one
increment per day). No exceptions made, except with written medical or personal excuse.
Office Hours
Professor Shambaugh will hold office hours by appointment only for 15 minute blocks of time
on Mondays afternoons from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Appointments should be made in advance via
email (shambaug@gwu.edu). If students have another class or activity at this time, or the slots
fill up, we will try to arrange an alternative time.
COURSE SCHEDULE & READINGS
PART I: THEORY & METHODS
Session 1: The Evolution of the Study of Chinese Foreign Policy
Required:
Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy, Introduction and Conclusion.
PART II: SOURCES OF CHINA’S FOREIGN POLICY
Session 2: Historical Sources of China’s Foreign Relations
Required:
Christopher Ford, The Mind of Empire: China’s History & Modern Foreign Relations
Session 3: Perceptions, Identity, Nationalism, and Domestic Politics
Required:
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Yong Deng, China’s Struggle for Status
Lowell Dittmer and George T. Yu, China, the Developing World and the New Global Dynamic,
chapter 10.
Session 4: Foreign Policy Decision Making
Required:
Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy, chapter 1.
Linda Jakobson and Dean Knox, New Foreign Policy Actors in China, available at:
http://books.sipri.org/files/PP/SIPRIPP26.pdf.
PART III: BILATERAL & REGIONAL INTERACTIONS
Session 5: China and the United States
Required:
Richard Rosecrance and Gu Guoliang (eds.), Power and Restraint.
Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy, chapter 5.
Session 6: China and Europe
Required:
Eberhard Sandschneider, David Shambaugh, and Zhou Hong (eds.), China and Europe:
Perceptions, Policies & Prospects
Session 7: China, Russia, and Central Asia
Required:
Elizabeth Wishnick, Russia, China, and the United States in Central Asia
Lowell Dittmer and George T. Yu, China, the Developing World, and the New Global Dynamic,
chapter 6.
Session 8: China and East and South Asia
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Required:
David Shambaugh (ed.), Power Shift
Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy, chapter 6.
Dittmer & Yu (eds.), chapters 4-5.
Session 9: China Relations with the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America
Required:
Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy, chapter 7.
Ditttmer & Yu (eds.), chapters 7-9.
PART IV: INSTRUMENTS OF CHINA’S FOREIGN POLICY
Session 10: China’s Global Economic Influence
Required:
Dittmer and Yu, chapter 3.
Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy, chapter 2.
Session 11: China’s Global Cultural Influence
Required:
Joshua Kurlantzick, Charm Offensive: How China’s Soft Power is Transforming the World
Session 12: China’s Military Influence
Required:
David Shambaugh, Modernizing China’s Military: Progress, Problems, and Prospects
Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy, chapter 4.
Session 13: China’s International Institutional Influence
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Required:
Marc Lanteigne, Chinese Foreign Policy, chapter 3.
Recommended:
Gerald Chan, China’s Compliance in Global Affairs
PART V: THE FUTURE OF CHINA’S FOREIGN RELATIONS
Session 14: Issues to Anticipate in China’s Foreign Relations
Required:
David Shambaugh (ed.), Charting China’s Future: Domestic & International Challenges,
chapters 4, 7-13.
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