A 'China threat'? Power and passion in Chinese 'face nationalism'

Rather than sit on the sidelines and wager on whether Chinese nationalism is benign or malevolent, Westerners must recognize that they have more than just a stake in the outcome. Nationalism is about the identity of nations, and identity does not develop in isolation. Chinese nationalism will evolve in dynamic relationship with the West. If the West's China policy is inconsistent, driven back and forth by arguments over the existence of a 'China threat,' we may well push Chinese nationalism in a malevolent direction. If Chinese popular opinion perceives China's leaders to be successfully maintaining China's 'national face' on the world stage, however, I believe that most Chinese will seek to further integrate China into the existing world order. For this to happen, China must be allowed to play leading roles in the current state system and be presented positively in the Western media. In this essay I present the concept of 'face nationalism' as an alternative approach to Chinese nationalism. Face nationalism has more to offer than other concepts because it is culturally specific: it helps Westerners understand what Chinese consider as success or failure in their effort to maintain China's 'national face.' 'Face nationalism' captures both the emotional and instrumental motivations of China's nationalists, and the elite-mass legitimacy dynamic that is central to Chinese nationalist politics, focusing attention on the very important arena of domestic Chinese politics and how it is linked to China's external relations. If the West is to successfully engage China, we must include Chinese elites as equal players on the world stage, allowing them to maintain national face in the eyes of domestic audiences.