From Revolutionary Internationalism to Conservative Nationalism

The Chinese Military's Discourse on National Security and Identity in the Post-Mao Era

This report examines the content of Chinese military literature that shapes consciousness on national identity, security and defense. It aims to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of post-1985 military and security developments in China. The paper outlines changes in China's general military discourse, investigates new themes in the discourse on identity and security, explores the new conceptualization of national security threats and examines the nature of civil-military relations. The paper states that China's military discourse shifted significantly toward issues of national identity and away from the Maoist tradition.

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