The rise of China has become a central issue in contemporary discourse. The key factor which has influenced the change within Chinese foreign policy decision-making is the Open Door Policy. Compared to the previous period, the implementation of the Open Door Policy has greatly improved China’s economic development and has provided better living conditions and quality of life for the Chinese people. This openness is not restricted to economic aspects, as it has also had considerable social and political effects. In order to offer an overview and to explain the complexity of Chinese foreign policy decision-making after 1978, this article will examine two dimensions: succession politics and economic reform. Since the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is not a democratic regime, the changing of the ruling class does not happen through elections, and therefore political accountability never existed in contemporary Chinese politics. On these grounds, we shall use different approaches to fully understand the reasons why the process of Chinese foreign policy decision-making has become more complex since 1978.
