From Legislation to Strategy: Understanding China’s New Law on Foreign Relations

Abstract

States require both international and domestic legal frameworks to regulate interactions between national and international institutions, citizens, and foreign actors. The Law on Foreign Relations of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国对外关系法), enacted in June 2023 and effective from July 1, marks the first and most comprehensive legal framework in China’s legislative history for governing its external engagements across political, economic, legal, and security dimensions. More than a domestic measure, the law reflects China’s ambition to institutionalize its expanding global role and harmonize domestic legal mechanisms with international commitments. Introduced during a period of intensified engagement with global governance, it coincides with President Xi Jinping’s shift from Deng Xiaoping’s Tao Guang Yang Hui (“hide-and-bide”) approach toward a more proactive international presence, while maintaining the discourse of peaceful development and win-win cooperation. This study examines the strategic, political, and legal motivations behind the law’s adoption, positioning it within China’s broader foreign policy trajectory. Using a qualitative, document-based methodology, it draws on official statements, speeches, policy reports, and academic literature. The analysis considers the law not only as a legal instrument but also as a strategic tool to strengthen domestic–international linkages, consolidate foreign policy under centralized leadership, and project a coherent international image aligned with China’s long-term vision.