This brief analyzes the emergence of some of the key domestic actors and forces that have made Chinese foreign policymaking, previously monopolized by a relatively small group of top leaders and actors, a more complicated and contentious process. Although the author cautions that further evidence is needed to establish the extent and degree of the impact of these new drivers on Chinese foreign policy, he believes that a real understanding of how Chinese leaders make foreign policy decisions will not be possible without taking into account these contextual factors in the Chinese state and society.
