Conceptual foundations of the evolution of Chinese geopolitical ideology and its influence on the geostrategic vectors of China

Abstract

The article analyzes the conceptual foundations of the evolution of the geopolitical ideology of the People’s Republic of China through the interaction of ideology and politics, the constitution and social economy in the period from 1978 to the present. In particular, three periods during which ideological and constitutional changes took place in China were considered. Analysis of the first period of the evolution of the geopolitical ideology of the People’s Republic of China (1978-1991) shows that China has moved from Maoism to «socialism with Chinese characteristics». During the second period (1991-2002), a key element of the Chinese model of socialism was the recognition of a market economy. The third stage of China’s ideological transformation began from 2003 to the present. «Socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era» has become the basis of China’s development policy and strategy in recent years. The main goals include achieving full modernization by 2049, creating a «socialist society of general welfare» and transforming China into a leader of the world order. The ultimate goal of «socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era» is the realization of the «Chinese dream» of the great revival of the Chinese nation. It was noted that with the advent of Xi Jinping in 2012, new tasks for China’s modernization were defined, based on socialist values, within the framework of the concept of the «Chinese dream». An important element of the practical implementation of the new concept was the geo-economic initiative «One Belt, One Road», which is based on traditional Chinese ideas about Heaven and universal human values such as prosperity, harmony, equality, justice and brotherhood. The conclusions of the article make it clear that the geostrategic vectors of the People’s Republic of China, formed under the influence of geopolitical ideology, are aimed at the growth of economic power and military potential, as well as at the activation of the country’s foreign policy.