China’s foreign policy rhetoric between orchestration and cacophony

Abstract

Xi Jinping cast himself as the sole herald of China’s foreign policy. Following his lead, many observers base their assessments of the Chinese government’s intentions on his statements alone. However, China’s foreign policy rhetoric is still shaped by various actors within the government. This article examines variation in China’s foreign policy rhetoric by examining how China’s national interest is constructed and whether it has become more consistent the longer Xi Jinping is in office through quantitative and qualitative content analyses. It finds significant differences in emphasis between policy-making levels and between the General Secretary/State President, Premier, State Council Information Office, and Foreign Minister. Hence, to decipher China’s foreign policy intentions, researchers should also consider foreign policy statements by actors other than the General Secretary and be attentive to differences in statements by different actors.