Two major features of international relations at the beginning of the 21st century are global governance and an ascendant China. Whether or not China will ultimately sinicize global governance or become assimilated into global norms remains both a theoretical and a practical challenge. 'China's intervention behavior has been a puzzle because of the apparent inconsistency. This book adopts a cultural approach and offers a convincing explanation by highlighting the concept of balance of relationship. It includes illustrative cases to show the underlying consistency despite the apparent inconsistency. Foregrounding cultural background knowledge, it is a valuable achievement in the study of world politics.' Qin Yaqing, China Foreign Affairs University 'This book introduces a cultural/civilizational approach to explaining the dynamics of interplay between China's rise and global governance. The key argument that China's quest for security is more centered on the balance of harmonious relations than national interest is sure to provoke realist critics. Given the importance of the issues discussed, this book is essential reading for students of Chinese foreign policy and international relations.' Samuel S. Kim, Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University, USA