Abstract：The rise of China and its expanding role on the world stage are among the most prominent developments in the post-Cold War era, with wide-ranging and far-reaching implications, among which the most significant is the impact on the prevailing international order.

As construction and alteration of the international order is basically the responsibility of nation-states, exploration of the agent’s concepts and policies relies mainly on the analysis of government statements regarding its attitudes and purposes, and of its policy practices. It is also useful, indeed necessary, to refer to relevant academic discourse which provides insights into the rationales behind and changes in state behaviour. This article will elucidate the Chinese official position and policy regarding the international order by drawing on Chinese government sources, while also testing it through empirical study of related cases and examining it through scholarly work on the subject.

I will begin with a critical look at the existing international order and an inventory of the major challenges confronting it. I will then explore what the Chinese vision for a future order looks like and the rationales behind it, after which I will use case-studies to explore the efforts China has been making to improve and reshape the international order. In conclusion, I summarize the possible Chinese impact on the international order and shed some light on factors that may work to constrain Chinese efforts.