A new academic analysis challenges the prevailing U.S. view of China as a global aggressor, arguing Beijing's strategic goals are limited, consistent and primarily inward-looking.

The study was published in International Security, a journal by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's MIT Press and sponsored and edited by the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University. It argues that China is not pursuing global hegemony and urges the United States to recalibrate its military and economic posture toward Beijing. Drawing on over 12,000 Chinese-language articles and speeches by Chinese leaders, it concludes that China's strategic focus remains regional, historically consistent and centered on sovereignty and regime stability.

The authors – researchers from top U.S. universities – find that China's stated priorities have remained stable for decades: safeguarding territorial integrity, maintaining domestic stability and expanding economic ties abroad. These goals, they write, reflect long-standing concerns dating back to the 19th century. "Almost every major issue that the People's Republic of China cares about today dates back to at least the Qing dynasty," the paper notes.

Contrary to claims that China seeks to displace the U.S. as a global power, the study finds no evidence in official Chinese discourse of ambitions for worldwide leadership. Terms like "hegemon" or "global leader" are largely absent from authoritative sources such as The People's Daily and Qiushi. Instead, Chinese rhetoric emphasizes "socialism with Chinese characteristics," a model the authors say is explicitly national and not intended for export.

The paper also challenges the idea that China's growing power has led to expanding territorial claims. It finds that Beijing's core concerns have remained geographically and politically consistent, even as China's military and economic capabilities have surged.

The authors warn that U.S. policy is misaligned with this reality. "There is no need for a hostile U.S. military posture in the Pacific," they argue, adding that such a stance may provoke unnecessary tension. They recommend shifting focus from military deterrence to diplomatic and economic engagement, highlighting areas like climate change, pandemic preparedness and trade as ripe for cooperation.

The study concludes that Washington's current strategy risks isolating the U.S. from regional dynamics, as East Asian countries deepen ties with Beijing through trade agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) – initiatives the U.S. has not joined.

(Cover: A view of Beijing, August 31, 2025. /VCG)