China and the Yugoslav Crisis, 1990-94: Beijing`s Exercise in Dialectics

Abstract

This article examines the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC’s) relations with the (former) Yugoslav region in the post-Cold War period. It scrutinizes Chinese policies toward Belgrade, the development of political interaction between the PRC, Croatia, Macedonia, and Slovenia, and Beijing’s stand on the Bosnian conflict. It also analyzes Beijing’s voting behavior vis-à-vis the Yugoslav question in the United Nations. Finally, a short review of the Chinese press coverage of the Yugoslav conflict is provided. \nThe central thesis of this paper argues that the goal of Beijing’s Yugoslav politics is promoting an anti-hegemonistic, peace-loving image, rather than a genuine concern for the peoples of the former Yugoslavia.