China’s rise over the past forty years has indeed altered the world’s power dynamics and challenged preconceptions about the international order. They transformed from being largely cut off from the world economy to the second-largest economy in the world, a big tech competitor, and a more diplomatic player on the international stage. Data from the World Bank shows that China’s share of global GDP grew from around 1.6% in 1990 to over 17% by 2023.

China’s ascendancy is not just quantitative and military: it is also about identity. What is China’s image of itself? How does it fit in the world in relation to history? Since Xi Jinping ascended to power in 2012, he has stressed China’s renewal and rejuvenation, the recovery of ancient glory. Xi is not just trying to portray China as a new power; he sees the country as one that is making a comeback to its former glorious days. Thus, to understand China under Xi, one must take a long-term perspective on the phenomenon of an ancient culture asserting its historical place in the world today.

This change has created a distinctive geostrategic identity that merges the old Chinese strategy with the new great power goals. China is pushing to make the stories of its ancient past a reality with measures such as the Belt and Road Initiative, military enhancements, technological progress, and a more aggressive diplomatic policy. Understanding this evolving identity is essential for understanding China’s actions and the broader transformations in the global system.

Here, the piece argues that Xi Jinping’s China is a mixture of old and new in terms of its geostrategic identity. Although concepts such as Tianxia, national unity, and being the center of civilization still affect the strategies, they are now employed to promote national rejuvenation and global influence as well.

Historical Foundations of China’s Strategic Identity

China’s current strategy comes from its history, too. For centuries, imperial China was the big player in East Asia, seeing itself at the center of a region it led. They had a view called Tianxia, meaning “all under heaven.” It highlighted cultural authority, political legitimacy, and keeping the region stable.

The traditional Chinese system was quite different from the modern Westphalian one, in which all sovereign states should be equal, because the traditional Chinese order was established on the basis of the belief in Chinese superiority. The system was abolished after imperial China’s collapse, but its philosophies remain alive in political discussions and planning in China today. China’s identity is shaped a lot by the memory of the “Century of Humiliation,” from the First Opium War in 1839 to 1949. 

Foreign invasion, the loss of land, and domestic turmoil occurred during this period. As a result, this is a time when leaders emphasize the importance of unity, sovereignty, and self-reliance. Thus, they rely on history in order to make their messages stronger on national pride and independence.

Historical memory means more than just symbolism; it’s a strong political tool too. It provides a rationalization of the policies. In China, national rejuvenation is thus not seen as a new objective, but as a return to its ancient position in the world.

Xi Jinping and the Chinese Dream

In 2012, Xi Jinping’s election was a big deal for China’s strategy. Upon the assumption of power, he spoke about the “Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation. This concept spread rapidly and was the basis for........

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