HERBERT MCMASTER’S EMPIRICAL EXPERIENCE AND HIS INTERPRETATION OF CHINA’S AMBITIONS FOR GLOBAL POLITICAL AND CIVILIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Since the mid-20th century, the established principles of the global political order have, over the past decade, undergone a profound crisis–one of the main catalysts of which is clearly the People’s Republic of China. Its rapid economic rise, significant share of global industrial output and export potential, scientific and technological achievements, combined with the ambitious strategy of the Communist Party–armed with Maoist ideology aimed at reshaping the world order–have provided the foundation for its leader, Xi Jinping, to proclaim a strategic vision: that China will reclaim its historical greatness. Understanding the nature of these transformations is complicated by China’s long-standing tradition of secrecy and its generally positive image as the “world’s workshop of modernity.” In this context, the research of American political scientist and career military officer Herbert McMaster holds significant analytical value. His study, based on a combination of personal experience visiting the PRC, intelligence reports, and open sources, presents a well-argued case that modern China’s political ambitions are clearly aimed at a global restructuring of the existing world order—one that is currently based on the principles of democracy and respect for individual rights and freedoms. The Chinese Communist Party is systematically conducting a consistent ideological campaign, emphasizing the contrast between China’s present achievements and the so-called ‘century of humiliation’ suffered by pre-communist China at the hands of Western developed countries. Consequently, the authoritarian political regime established by the Communist Party cultivates corresponding ideological convictions among its citizens. At the same time, the PRC pursues a foreign policy of strategic penetration and influence-building across numerous countries on all continents, thereby creating a global network of dependent, essentially vassal, states.