China in the contemporary world order: grand strategy, military modernization, and balance of power

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the military determinants of China's strategic posture at the beginning of the 21st century, especially after the wide-ranging military reform introduced by Xi Jinping in 2015. China has faced major challenges in combining military modernization and Peaceful Development in a strategic environment marked by the balance of power logic. In this context, this paper points out the importance of military modernization for China’s grand strategy, even if it means the risk of growing tensions with regional and global military powers.