ABSTRACT
In the 21st century, as peoples and cultures become more intermeshed, diversified and more divided at the same time, the role of globalization and communication becomes even more crucial. What has received less than sufficient attention, vis-à-vis this global uncertainty, is the evolving trend represented by the emerging developing world, of which contemporary China has the potential of becoming a major player. The present chapter takes a cultural-discursive/communicative perspective and argues that contemporary Chinese discourse/communication constitutes a countervailing force in that changing world order by being hegemony-resistant, dynamic, holism-minded and harmony-oriented. As an illustration, a comparative analysis is proffered of the Chinese discourse of national defence in contrast to its US-American counterpart. It is shown that the Chinese defence discourse acts not only to undermine global hegemony but also to provide important resources for re-imagining human communication in general and international relations and globalization in particular.
