From China Economic Quarterly, via Finnish Institute of International Affairs website:

“Non-Interference” in the domestic affairs of other countries has long been one of the five sacred pillars of Chinese foreign policy. That doctrine was developed in the 1950s when China followed a policy of economic autarky. But it is proving to be a burden as China’s fast-growing economy – and the consequent need for energy, resources, and markets – forces Beijing to engage more deeply with supplier and customer countries. In private, Chinese foreign policy specialists acknowledge that non-interference is no longer practical, tenable, or in line with Chinese national interests. Deciding how to replace the passive non-interference doctrine with a more activist – yet not overly aggressive – core principle is a major challenge for Chinese foreign policy makers today. [Full Text]

Linda Jakobson is director of the China Programme at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.