"In this book, the author undertakes a postcolonial analysis of identities the Chinese state uses to confront world politics and globalization. Because these identities are created at the confluence of Western modernity and Confucian tradition, two elements that are continually reinterpreted themselves, the result is an ambiguity regarding the identities best suited to clarify Chinese behavior. The author argues that this uncertainty is not a new condition but one that reaches back to the end of the 19th century. It is by understanding this ambiguity surrounding identities that will in turn help present-day authorities envisage the future course of Chinese behavior in world politics. This unique analysis of Chinese politics offers a substantial new way of understanding China's movements within the world arena, making it a valuable resource for all China watchers."--Jacket.