Chinese Exceptionalism: The Sino- Centric World and US Threat Perceptions

Exceptionalism in IR is the unique and exceptional behavior of a state in the domain of foreign policy. Unlike the Manifest Destiny of the US, which emerged as an exceptional power to govern the world with its liberal tradition, value system, and governance model, those witnessing the history unfolding in the 21st century can observe more and more nation–states/civilizations behaving exceptionally. The rise of the discourse of exceptionalism, informed by universal values and rooted in civilizational heritage, producing an essentialist ‘Self’ and the Other, is perceived as a threat to the status quo and the so-called peaceful and rules based international system. Using an interpretative approach, this paper deals with how China perceives itself and behaves as an exceptional power. It also discusses the perceptions of threat in the US arising from Chinese exceptionalism.