Strategy, identity construction, & China's quest for influence: The role of rational self-interest in Beijing's "responsible great power" dialogue

This study uses Finnemore and Sikkink's theory of strategic social construction to explain China's embrace of international responsibility after decades of distrust toward the international system. After presenting an overview of Chinese academic discourse related to international responsibility, this study examines the ways officials in the People's Republic of China (PRC) utilized the concept in three periods--the mid- to late-1990s, 2000-2008, and 2009-2012--to test my hypothesis that Beijing's embrace of responsibility is a strategic effort to reconstruct the country's international identity in ways that will facilitate its pursuit of both material and ideational national interests. The findings support my hypothesis, showing that Chinese officials have sought to portray the PRC as a "responsible great power," in order to weaken the international community's opposition to China, cultivate an international environment friendly to its rise, and ultimately allow the country to wield increasing influence in the changing international order.