Nationalism in China: Changing Parameters from 1993 to Present

This paper examines the promotion of different nationalist discourses in China by three generations of CCP leadership: Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping. It analyzes the changes in Chinese nationalist discourses through the lens of CCP legitimacy and in light of the ongoing struggle in China to modernize while retaining its identity. The paper finds that nationalist discourse varied under different Chinese leadership in response to the changing domestic and international environment. Furthermore, these changing nationalist narratives highlighted China’s tussle with its modern identity and its traditions.