International Strategic Report

Author: Li Shaojun, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The formulation and implementation of international strategy are crucial matters concerning a nation's future and destiny. On the contemporary, fiercely competitive global stage, any country seeking to achieve its interests must engage in increasingly frequent international interactions. To engage in such interactions, a nation must naturally possess sufficient material strength and influence, otherwise its voice will go unheard. However, history has shown that international competition has never been a mere struggle of strength; it is also particularly manifested as a battle of wits. When engaging in international interactions, while strength is undoubtedly the foundation of victory, powerful nations do not always win. Regardless, victory always belongs to those who skillfully wield wisdom. In international competition, the wise are those who understand international strategy. Here, understanding international strategy, in short, means understanding the science and art of mobilizing all forces and resources to achieve a nation's predetermined goals. As a product of international competition, the formulation and implementation of international strategy are always relative to other actors. For contemporary sovereign states, while they inevitably interact with various non-state actors such as the United Nations, the WTO, and even al-Qaeda, their primary interactions remain with state actors. Whether large or small, all countries must engage in international politics in some way or means, thereby constituting part of international relations. Since international strategy involves the means and methods by which state-centric international actors participate in international relations, it is, to some extent, part of international relations itself.