CHINA'S FOREIGN POLICY AND MOVES TOWARDS CLOSER RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA AND INDIA

摘要

China has a rich and turbulent history, with written records going back five thousand years. It is customary to relate this venerable past to the rule of various dynasties, which rose and fell depending upon the role and prowess of prominent feudal and ethnic groups. Due to the country's predominantly mountainous terrain, communications were difficult, and there was a tendency for regional warlords to exercise local power unless a strong ruler was able to impose his will. Indeed, China remained divided into several warring kingdoms until united in the 3rd Century BC by Emperor Chin Shi of the Yuan dynasty. Despite the enormous geographical size and diversity of the country, it is remarkable that a predominant ethnic group, the Hans, emerged over the centuries, with a shared language, and cultural ethic based on the teachings of such philosophers as Lao Tze and Confucius.