Politics & Governance / International Politics / Diplomacy & International Relations

The Roaring Dragon Returns: Transformational Leaders and the Dynamics of Chinese Foreign Policy

The Roaring Dragon Returns: Transformational Leaders and the Dynamics of Chinese Foreign Policy

Suisheng Zhao

The Roaring Dragon Returns: Transformational Leaders and the Dynamics of Chinese Foreign Policy (Suisheng Zhu) 巨龙咆哮：领导力变革与中国外交动态 This book delves into the transformative role of trendsetting leaders in shaping Chinese foreign policy. Its core argument is that a leader's personal vision, political acumen, and decision-making style transcend mere institutional limitations. Suisheng Zhao divides Chinese diplomacy into different paradigms: the Mao era was characterized by struggle and strategic competition among great powers; the Deng Xiaoping era shifted towards "keeping a low profile"; and in the contemporary era, Xi Jinping, through the high centralization of power and institutional restructuring, has propelled Chinese diplomacy into a more proactive and assertive new phase. The book analyzes the collective memory of a century of national humiliation, the rise of nationalism, and the ideological revisionist stance towards the global order, revealing how China has transformed from a puppet participant into a global power striving for multilateral international rules.