The central claim of this book is that China's political worldview is deeply influenced by a sense of exceptionalism – that is, China sees itself as good and different, and this perception is fundamental to shaping how it sees the world and consequently influences its approach to international politics. While exceptionalism is by no means the only way to interpret China's international relations and foreign policy, it represents a vital lens for making sense of the Chinese political worldview. Such exceptionalist dynamics, I argue, provide a more comprehensive interpretation of China's international relations than that given by mainstream IR theories. By taking material, ideational, and structural factors seriously, this book seeks to locate the key driver behind China's international politics in the sense of exceptionalism within the Chinese Communist Party led by President Xi Jinping, which perceives the existing international order as ripe for change, China playing a more influential role and having its interests acknowledged by others.

In this chapter I first summarize my main arguments and findings. Then I discuss the implications of Chinese exceptionalism and the extent to which such thinking represents a Chinese claim to universal validity. Finally, I identify some areas for future research.

Main Findings

As discussed in Chapter 1, all countries – big or small – are wont to perceive themselves as exceptional. This allows them to distinguish themselves from others and provide a source of social and cultural identity, which in turn facilitates the work of political governance. In this respect, China is no different. What makes Chinese exceptionalism the subject of my sustained enquiry is China's status as a global power and the general sense that it often seeks to pursue its international objectives outside of, or at the very least apart from, the existing norms and rules of the international system.