Abstract: As China’s material power has reached the ranks of the great powers, realist predictions of China’s inevitable hegemonic trajectory have gained traction in international politics. Nevertheless, China has consistently articulated a commitment to anti-hegemonic principles, even as this claim continues to face scrutiny in international society. Diverging from various paradigms of hegemony studies in international relations, the author endeavours to explain—through conceptual analysis—why China does not seek hegemony. By contrasting the multiplicitous connotations of “hegemony” in Western and Chinese contexts, this article presents hegemony as context-dependent. Drawing on Gramsci’s theoretical framework, the article argues that hegemony is, in itself, an analytically neutral term—whether it is viewed as a positive goal or a negative threat depends on its legitimacy and the degree of consent from the subordinate actors. In light of the realities in China, the author proposes “legitimised leadership” as an alternative approach to rethink hegemony in relation to China. Such “hegemony” remains a prospective vision that would require long-term efforts to ultimately realise. The article seeks to clarify misconceptions and misjudgements about China’s peaceful rise in the international community.
Ye Rurong (Fri,) studied this question.