In this essay, Xu argues for the creation of a “new Chinese universalism” based on the ancient notion of tianxia, or “all-under-heaven.” This is his contribution to a wide-ranging debate, sparked by China’s rise to great power status, concerning a possible return to China’s past views of her role in the world. While most voices in this debate were highly nationalistic, Xu seeks to craft a liberal stance on the question, arguing that China’s traditional view of its place in the world was in fact considerably more open than that espoused by today’s chauvinist thinkers; China claimed to be universal and sought to educate the world instead of insisting on its uniqueness and shutting its doors. Xu further suggests that a return to such a stance might help China arrive at better relations with her ethnic minority communities such as the Tibetans and the Uighurs, and that the return to pre-Westphalian view of foreign relations might improve China’s relations with her East Asian neighbors.