The ever-growing Chinese economy and military have been viewed with suspicion by Western academics. One of the main questions that rises from China’s increasing power is how and if it will change...Show moreThe ever-growing Chinese economy and military have been viewed with suspicion by Western academics. One of the main questions that rises from China’s increasing power is how and if it will change the world order. When Xi Jinping became president of the People’s Republic in 2013, a new era began. Xi incorporates many historical narratives in his speeches to explain his views on the international system. This paper inquires the fifteen speeches of Xi Jinping, held between 2012 and 2020. The theoretical framework for this research is Zhao Tingyang’s neo-tianxa. The methodology that has been used is the macro critical political discourse analysis. The systematic application on Xi Jinping’s speeches revealed that the Chinese concept of neo-tianxia gives interesting insights in how Xi Jinping sees the world. Furthermore, this thesis goes beyond the East-West thinking that often can be found in the Western IR field.Show less
