The Demographically Uncertain Foreign Policy of Today’s China

... far from straightforward, comprising a varied collection of conflicting forces that push the country towards different models of behaviour on the international stage. It seems proper to define four demographic variables that have a long-term effect on Chinese foreign policy: population growth/decline; the age composition of the population; the society’s gender structure; the size and preferences of the middle class. Although these factors may be interrelated, when separated they allow for a better ...