| Publication |
2013.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Since 2010, there has been much concern about whether China is becoming too hardline in its foreign behavior. As the focus of China's rise has moved from economic and diplomatic dimensions to a military one, the main concern is whether the voice of the military will directly apply to China's foreign policy. As a result, research on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has become a priority. Then, what kind of perspective does the PLA have in regards to China's foreign policy? Is it influencing foreign policy in reality? By investigating the PLA's perceptions in its external security environment and its role within the country's
foreign policy-making process, this paper plans to obtain a better understanding of the military's influence on China's foreign policy. This paper is based on interviews with six PLA senior officers, two active major generals, two reserve major generals and two active senior colonels, which were conducted in July 2011 after the China threat expanded in 2010. The conclusion is that the PLA does not have the most influence to dictate China's foreign policy, although it is an important pillar of power in the current Chinese regime.
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