Understanding International Credibility and Its Changes: Taking China as an Example

This paper defines international credibility as the comprehensive evaluation of the trustworthiness of a country’s capabilities and intentions by other countries in the international community. It is not only a reflection of the country’s national capabilities and behavior choices, but also a kind of national reputation based on the evaluation of other countries. The establishment, maintenance and improvement of a country’s international credibility depends on the following five necessary conditions: hard power, comprehensive governance and contractual capabilities, government credibility and social cohesion domestically, trustworthy foreign policies and behaviors, international communication capabilities and public opinion influence. This article demonstrates that China’s international credibility has suffered severe damage since the 2008 financial crisis, despite of its rapid enhancement in the early post-Cold War period. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has provided China with a precious opportunity to consolidate its domestic social foundation and enhance its international credibility. However, it seems that the epidemic has been witnessing greater divergence in other countries’ evaluation of China’s capabilities and intentions.