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This article joins recent debates on China�s rise that claim the People�s Republic of China has become increasingly �assertive�. By examining discourses calling for China to emulate Western great powers, it demonstrates that there remains a powerful discourse within Chinese society which regards Western standards as the sole �benchmark� for success and recognition in the international community. In doing so, the article introduces the concept of �Occidentalism�, which is a belief that a state�s identity is deeply connected to Western recognition, and which constructs a highly idealised and essentialised �Western Other� to promote particular political reforms. The existence of �Occidentalism� in domestic debates on China�s future as a great power demonstrates that claims of China�s �assertive turn� are premature, and those who call for a more muscular Chinese foreign policy are one of many voices within Chinese political circles.
