The 36 Stratagems and China's Foreign Policy — Hei Sing Tso

12. 6. 2023

This episode of The IR thinker explores whether Chinese political leadership can be better understood through the lens of the traditional Chinese stratagems, commonly known as the Thirty-Six Stratagems. The discussion examines how these historical and cultural concepts, expressed in proverbial form, continue to inform patterns of strategic thinking, decision-making and foreign policy in contemporary China, while also considering their limits as an interpretive framework.

Hei Sing Tso

Hei Sing Tso is an independent scholar whose research focuses on traditional Chinese stratagems. Trained in law at the City University of Hong Kong and the University of Edinburgh, and holding a Master of Arts in theology from the University of Chester, he is also a practising lawyer and President of Guiguzi Stratagem Learning, a training firm that teaches Chinese stratagems to government and business clients.

Publications:

I Ching and 36 Tricks: Your Personal Wisdom Manual

Interesting works mentioned during the interview:

Thirty-Six Stratagems

Unrestricted Warfare: China’s Master Plan to Destroy America

Han Feizi: Basic Writings (Translations from the Asian Classics)

Content

00:00 Introduction
02:32 Chinese Stratagems vs. Strategy
04:20 How Many People in China Research the Stratagems?
05:57 Why Does Hei Sing Tso Research the Stratagems?
10:11 The 36 Stratagems in the Present Context
12:46 How to Interpret the 36 Stratagems
15:52 Six Categories of the 36 Stratagems
19:30 How Do Chinese People Learn About the Stratagems?
23:20 The Stratagems and Chinese Foreign Policy
25:46 Notable Publications About the Stratagems and Chinese Foreign Policy
30:16 How to Research and Understand Chinese Political Leadership
36:15 Most Common Misunderstandings About China in the West
43:14 Key Challenges for Chinese Leadership