Continuity or change? A role-theoretical analysis of China’s developing country role (2015–2025)
Dados Bibliográficos
| ID | 19234591 |
|---|---|
| Autores | Yong Chi (0000-0001-6360-6198, Globalization and Global Issues Institute, China University of Political Science and Law), Li Y (0000-0003-3842-475X, China University of Political Science and Law, autor correspondente), Yanxiao Li (0009-0005-1660-6618, Globalization and Global Issues Institute, China University of Political Science and Law) |
| Ano | 2026 |
| Páginas | 1-31 |
| Data de publicação | 2026-05-25 |
| Peer Reviewed | Sim |
| Open Access | Não |
| Tipo | ARTICLE |
| Periódico | The Pacific Review (JOURNAL) |
| Identificadores do periódico | ISSN: 0951-2748 • E-ISSN: 1470-1332 |
| Editora | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09512748.2026.2674199 |
| OpenAlex | W7162317605 |
| Idioma | EN |
| Referências citadas | 91 |
The Chinese government has consistently and explicitly asserted its role as a developing country, which is an important precondition for China’s foreign policy-making. Yet much of the existing research largely assumes this role to be stable in the long term and fails to adequately examine whether and how it has evolved. Using the analytical framework of role change theory, the article examines transcripts of official speeches from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website between 2015 and 2025, tracing changes in the expression of China’s developing-country role. Although China’s perception of its developing-country role has not fundamentally changed, two phases of adjustment have occurred: instrumental adaptation and strategic learning. During the instrumental adaptation phase, China frequently used expressions such as ‘the largest developing country’ and ‘big developing country’, reinforced its role on development issues, and actively shared these role conceptions with other developing countries. In the strategic learning phase, China gradually updated its dominant national role conceptions, made limited adjustments to policies on international responsibility, and embedded itself in the ‘Global South’, but China appears to have learned to deliberately avoid assuming a leadership role among developing countries
Developed country · Developing country · China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance · International Development and Aid · World Systems and Global Transformations
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| Velocidade de citação | historical |
|---|---|
| Altamente citado | Não |