Scottish Centre for China Research

When: Wednesday 11 March 2026 at 4:10pm–5.30pm 

Where: 139 Board Room, 25 Bute Gardens, University of Glasgow (and online with registration here). 

 

Abstract: 

This book (Routledge, 2026, available here) explores China’s strategic culture in the context of relations across the Taiwan Strait, focusing on four elements of strategic culture—interests, intentions, dependencies and behaviour. It closely examines how China’s interests in Taiwan have emerged from its identity as a modern, socialist nation-state, placing it on a collision course with Taiwan’s consolidated liberal democracy and the US vision of itself as a guarantor of global order. Based on an examination of operational doctrines, force structures, and training, this book offers an interpretation of the intentions of China, Taiwan and the US, and analyses possible scenarios for conflict. Combined with an analysis of China’s strategic behaviour, especially the development over the past 30 years of military capabilities which would be sufficient for an invasion, this book characterises China’s strategic culture as “offensive realist” in nature and discusses the implications for Taiwan’s security and the future role of the US in the Western Pacific.

Short Bio: 

Neil Munro is Senior Lecturer in Chinese Politics at University of Glasgow. Prior to joining Glasgow in 2011, he held research posts at the Universities of Aberdeen (2005-2010) and Strathclyde (1997-2005). He is the author or co-author of more than two dozen peer-reviewed articles and six books on politics and governance in China, Russia, and other post-communist and developing countries.

Duanyi Yi is a post-graduate research student at the University of Glasgow.