Concept Note

The theme of ORCA's Global Conference on New Sinology (GCNS) 2023 is Beijing’s Superpower Ambitions in the ‘New Era’

At the 19th National Party Congress, Party Secretary Xi Jinping announced the beginning of a “new era” which was to be driven by “socialism with Chinese characteristics”. The 20th National Party Congress has seen that mandate renewed amidst Xi’s international, regional, and domestic ambitions to build China into a global superpower – and the CPC into a global ‘super-party’. Countries across the world see this ambition with alarm, especially as China inches closer to creating an alternative global order, a pax-Sinica to replace pax-Americana. With China attempting to facilitate a transition from great power to superpower in an increasingly multipolar world, signs of this ambitious transition are visible in China’s domestic and international posturing. To glean how China is preparing for the “new era”, this conference will bring together the finest minds in Sinology to analyse the trajectory of China’s rise and its path to superpower status. The conference will cover how Beijing’s assertive foreign policy is evolving to secure its numerous interests around the world while projecting a benign image of itself. It will also explore how inner workings of the party that influence provincial governance and elite politics will guide China's engagement with the international system. As China’s economy rediscovers the road to recovery, the conference will explore the ways in which economies can manage the complexities of trade and investment with China while looking for alternatives to Chinese manufacturing. China’s military - one of the most critical variables in China’s superpower ambitions - will be studied to examine the potential for conflict and confrontation.The Global Conference on New Sinology will bring experts of all ages, from diverse academic backgrounds and around the world, to New Delhi for an objective and comprehensive assessment of China’s superpower ambitions and responses to Beijing’s hegemonic rise.