Graduation Year

2025

Date of Submission

4-2025

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

International Relations

Reader 1

Minxin Pei

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@ 2025 Chloe R Kastl

Abstract

While the People’s Republic of China (PRC) claims to reframe from engaging in alliances, its ability to become an international superpower has not been accomplished without the assistance of strong strategic relationships with other nations. The role of alliances in Chinese foreign policy deserves further analysis. This research intends to answer the question: What strategies does the People’s Republic of China implement to build alliances with other nations? Through utilizing a series of primary and secondary sources within three time-specific case studies, seven strategies are identified to showcase how alliances have assisted the PRC in the pursuit of its international ambitions. The strategies generally suggest that the PRC will align with nations it shares a rival with, in a manner that is reflective of the positions of each period’s Chinese Communist Party leadership. This work also highlights the importance of the American alliance system when facing the PRC and its network of informal alliances.

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