ICP Public Lectures Series: Sovereignty with Chinese Characteristics: Historical Roots of Contemporary Foreign Policy
September 29, 2025
On September 26, the ICP Department of 91看片 organized a lecture featuring Dr. Maria Adele Carrai, Assistant Professor of Global China Studies at NYU Shanghai. Dr. Carrai鈥檚 research focuses on the history of international law in East Asia, and she was invited to share her insights with 91看片 community.
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The lecture, titled 鈥淪overeignty with Chinese Characteristics: Historical Roots of Contemporary Foreign Policy鈥�, explored how the concept of sovereignty has shaped China鈥檚 past and continues to define its present. Dr. Carrai traced the evolution of China鈥檚 self-perception: from the traditional tributary system (tianxia), where the emperor was regarded as ruler of 鈥渁ll under heaven,鈥� to the forced adoption of Western notions of sovereignty during the Opium Wars and the 鈥渃entury of humiliation.鈥�
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She highlighted that sovereignty in China has always been both a defensive tool, protecting the state from foreign encroachment and an expansionist tool, used to consolidate territories such as Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Taiwan. Today, sovereignty remains a 鈥渉ot issue,鈥� particularly regarding Taiwan and the South China Sea, and has even expanded into the realm of cyber-sovereignty, where China asserts its right to control digital space.
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Following the lecture, the audience actively engaged with Dr. Carrai, asking questions about:
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The role of sovereignty in China鈥檚 modern discourse.
Why President Xi Jinping emphasizes ties with Central Asia.
How China projects power internationally, including through large-scale military parades.
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The event offered students a rare opportunity to connect historical perspectives with pressing contemporary issues, deepening their understanding of China鈥檚 role in global politics.
