The Concept of International Relations in Taoist Thought

In today’s world, exchanges between different countries and regions are becoming more frequent. With the increase in exchanges, interests and disputes have also emerged. We have seen the beauty of mutually beneficial cooperation, but also the tragedy of war. Today’s international order is a sovereign state-centered system based on the Westphalian system and the final result of World War II. Various international cooperation organizations established after World War II have promoted exchanges and cooperation between different countries and regions, but we have to admit that most countries still treat each other as their competitors, and national strength is still the most important support for national behavior. With global warming, marine pollution, ecological disasters, transnational The emergence of a series of global problems such as crime requires us to reflect on whether this international exchange model centered on national interests can effectively deal with global problems, and whether we are too focused on human beings themselves and forget that we are part of nature. Taoist thought, especially the system with “Tao” as the core expounded by Lao Tzu in the “Tao Te Ching”, has great reference value for our understanding of nature and the relationship between man and nature. He expounded the way and norms of communication between countries with “Tao” as the core, opening up a new perspective for us to understand international relations. This article attempts to explore the concept of international relations in Taoist thought and provide reference for broadening the international relations theory based on Taoist ideas.