International Law and International Institutions: Implications for a Rising China

There is a growing concern that China has become more assertive in its foreign policies. The fear is whether China’s economic growth may translate into modern and effective military advancement. This engenders the critical question of whether China feels comfortable in the current international order, which is defiPed by international law and institutions. This article argues that the Chinese approach to international law and institutions is tightly associated with its evolving attitudes towards them. With its opening-up, China now views multilateralism as a way for the international community to constrain the capriciousness of a superpower, and regards the international institutions simply as power sharing development. However, China’s integration in international institutions represents its attempt to work within international norms to pursue its interests. It also shows China’s effort to hedge against American influence, and signals China’s emergence as an active player in the international arena.