China under Xi Jinping has become increasingly assertive in claiming a leading position in the world. It does not conceal its ambition to become a ‘global leader in terms of composite national strength and international influence’ (Xi, 2017c). Most observers have no doubt that China is an emerging global power, if not superpower, that will play a decisive role in the world of the 21st century and possibly challenge the hegemonic position of the United States. China's rise to power started in the late 1970s with Deng Xiaoping's policy of reform and opening up to the outside world, which led to an unprecedented economic development and made China the second largest economy worldwide, second only to the United States. More recently, China has significantly increased its military capabilities. Although it is far from becoming a global military power, its military build-up in the South China Sea and increasingly close partnership with Russia causes concern among its neighbours and members of the US-led liberal international society.

Economic and military power are essential for a state to become a global leader. However, it must not be ignored that international leadership demands more than hard power. To exert leadership also means influencing the rules of international relations and shaping global international society according to one's interests and values. Therefore, analysis of China's ambitions of enhancing its international influence must include its policy of increasing its normative power. If, as most observers maintain, China is challenging, if not threatening, the dominance of the United States and liberal international society, it is not sufficient to look only at its economic and military strength and try to contain it in some way.