Course features

Gain deeper insight into the complexities of China’s rise and its impact on global security in this thought-provoking course led by Professor Zeno Leoni. 

As China expands its influence within — and beyond — the Liberal International Order, Western governments, institutions, and civil societies face strategic dilemmas. This course offers a conceptual and case-based exploration of China’s foreign policy, strategic ambiguity, and the implications of its non-Western political culture.

In this course, you’ll examine how China’s political philosophy and strategic behaviour diverge from Western norms, and how these differences create challenges for diplomacy, economic relations, and military engagement. Each unit presents a dilemma, explores an academic concept such as strategic ambiguity or decoupling, and applies it to real-world case studies like U.S.-China competition or military doctrine.

You’ll build your capacity to apply lateral thinking and critically assess security dilemmas — while learning lessons that extend far beyond China to global policy and strategic planning.

Course format

This course is delivered through the edX learning platform and is designed to be completed in approximately 5 hours.

What you'll learn

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Analyse Western policy challenges posed by China’s rise

• Apply strategic ambiguity and lateral thinking to security issues

• Understand China’s political culture and global ambitions

• Engage with key debates on alliances, hegemony, and foreign policy

• Reflect on implications for the liberal international order

Curriculum

Unit 1: The Economy-Security Conundrum

Explore the dilemmas facing Western economic and security policies on China.

Unit 2: Strategic Ambiguity

Examine China’s use of ambiguity and its implications for international security.

Unit 3: Short-Term and Long-Term Interests

Evaluate long-term strategic thinking through the lens of China’s rise.

Unit 4: What China Wants

Unpack Chinese strategic goals and their relation to global norms.

Unit 5: China’s Expansionism and Alliances

Assess China’s military doctrine, alliances, and new Cold War narratives.

Entry Requirements

No formal requirements. English proficiency recommended (IELTS Level 6).

This course is particularly designed for all professionals working in the security and defence sector and those in business and industry with a specific focus on China and international security issues. It would also be suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Further information

King’s College London has partnered with the online education platform edX to deliver self-paced short courses to learners worldwide. Anyone can audit the course materials for free, excluding graded assessments, for a limited time.

For full access to the course, including graded assessments, and to obtain a verified certificate upon successful completion, the USD fee is $249.

The GBP course fee displayed on this page is for illustrative purposes only and subject to change in line with current exchange rates.

Payment for verified access to the course is made directly via edX. Please see edX Terms of Service for further information.