The aim of this thesis is to analyse China's security interests, in terms of a wider definition of security, in the post-Cold War era. First and foremost, it must be stated that the concept of security here is broadly conceived, which is congruent to the Chinese emphasis on comprehensiveness (quan mian hua). In particular, this thesis aims to incorporate non-military elements of security, such as political security and arguably, the most important of all, economic security. It will be argued that the adoption of a broader definition of security is vital, for only by doing so will it enable us to gain a better understanding of China's security interests in the post-Cold War era. This study is in itself important, as China's role in international relations is increasing over time. Geographically, the scope of the thesis is focused on Northeast Asia, although certain issues relevant to the central argument of the thesis, such as human rights and the collapse of communism, are also included. This introductory chapter is divided into two sections. The first surveys the post-Cold War security environment in Northeast Asia, which forms part of the milieu in which Chinese policymakers assess their security interests. The second section explains the structure of the thesis and the assumptions, also setting out the research methodology employed.