China's tianxia and foreign policy in the pandemic context

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic as a global threat has made it possible to gain a dynamic perspective on the behavior of States, and some light on the new international scenario. In this context, it has become clear that People's Republic of China (PRC) and the West are competitors in more than one area, and that it will be necessary to cooperate with the Asian giant for global stability/balance. In this article, we propose a retrospective (historical) look at the centralized State of China, and then characterize the current regime in that country . In the context of Chinese theories of International Relations, we propose to develop the concept of tianxia as a guide for the definition of a political strategy, considering the criticisms and limitations to the application of that same concept. Still in the pandemic context, we propose a reading of the political actions taken by the Chinese regime. The study of tianxia, whatever international scenario is set, may help us to understand some of the historical foundations of what PRC is today.