Upstart: How China Became a Great Power with Oriana Skylar Mastro

Thirty years ago, the idea that China could challenge the United States seemed unfathomable. Yet today, China is considered another great power in the international system. How did China manage to build power from a weaker resource position and in an international system dominated by the U.S.? What factors determined the strategies Beijing pursued? Using elite interviews, granular data, and authoritative Chinese sources, Oriana Skylar Mastro demonstrates that China was able to achieve great power status through a careful mix of strategic emulation, exploitation, and entrepreneurship on the international stage. This “upstart approach”— determined by where and how China chose to compete—allowed China to rise economically, politically, and militarily without triggering a catastrophic international backlash. Beyond explaining the unique nature of China’s rise, this talk provides policy guidance on how the U.S. can maintain a competitive edge in a new era of competition.