On the morning of June 23th, 2017, the academic symposium entitled “Grand Strategy in China: Continuation and Transition” was held in the Institute of International and Strategic Studies (IISS), Peking University (PKU). Prof. Avery Goldstein, Director of the Center for the Study of Contemporary China in University of Pennsylvania gave lectures while Da Wei, Director of the Institute of American Studies in China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, Sun Xuefeng, Professor at the Institute of International Relations in Tsinghua University, Gui Yongtao, Associate Professor at the School of International Studies (SIS), PKU and Assistant President at IISS, Chen Changwei, Associate Professor at SIS, PKU, etc,, joined the discussion. The symposium was hosted by Jie Dalei, Associate Professor at SIS, PKU.

Based on the concept of “grand strategy” which includes multiple factors like military, economy and diplomacy, Prof. Avery Goldstein analyzed the grand strategies implemented by China during different periods since 1949, as well as their goals and characteristics. In his opinion, China had used the “strategy of survival” during the Cold War to deal with the external security threat and maintain national survival due to China’s limited national power and its powerful competitors. Since the end of the Cold War, China’s grand strategy can be called the “strategy of rejuvenation” during which survival has no longer been a priority for China, but rather, it has mainly aimed to restore its leading role in the international arena and achieve national rejuvenation. He also proposed several suggestions on how China should address challenges and participate in global affairs in response to the current worldwide situation.