John Lee examines how China’s campaign of historical distortion is recycled on the public stage to justify Beijing’s increasingly assertive political, military, and territorial actions. Lee also outlines a series of targeted soft-power policy options that, if implemented, would openly and frequently challenge the historical revisionism Beijing employs to justify its hegemonic ambitions.
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Chinese People's Liberation Army honour guard members march during a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on November 12, 2025, in Beijing, China. (Getty Images)