Chinese Foreign Policy
This MIT OpenCourseWare course examines how China has engaged the international system since 1949, using the major theoretical and methodological frameworks scholars apply to its foreign policy. Readings draw on books and journal articles that connect Chinese foreign policy analysis to broader international relations theory, covering topics such as sovereignty, security strategy, economic diplomacy, and China's relations with the United States, its neighbors, and international institutions. The course materials include a full syllabus, weekly reading assignments, and guidance on discussion topics, structured for advanced undergraduate or graduate level study. As with other MIT OCW offerings, all course materials are published freely online under a Creative Commons license, with no certificate offered, so the intellectual content, not a credential, is the point. It suits students who want a structured, reading-heavy introduction to the academic study of Chinese foreign policy rather than a general survey of current events, and it assumes some prior grounding in international relations theory.