The Role of Confucian Ethics in the Foreign Policy Directions of Modern China

The purpose of the article is to analyze the significance of the philosophical and ethical postulates of Confucianism for China’s modern foreign policy. To achieve this goal, the article required the use of theoretical research methods: analysis, synthesis, abstraction, as well as the formal logical method. The evolution of China’s foreign policy attitudes is studied from the standpoint of the historical method. The result was an analysis of the role and significance of the Confucian doctrine and, in particular, its ethical component, for the formation of China’s modern foreign policy doctrine. The example of the implementation of the policy of soft power shows the embodiment of the main ethical postulates of Confucianism in the foreign policy of the Chinese state under the leadership of Xi Jinping. The role of Confucius Institutes in the implementation of soft power policy is noted. The significance of the ethics of Confucianism for China’s modern international policy in terms of the country’s inclusive orientation towards harmonious and friendly coexistence with major partners on a global scale is revealed. It is concluded that a deep understanding of Confucian thought enriches the understanding of China’s modern foreign policy and, in particular, how the head of the Chinese state, Xi Jinping, is trying to appeal to a global audience.Â