Mainstream thinking, known as the Chinese School, insists, with the government, on “Marxism with Chinese characteristics” as the bedrock principle of China’s foreign policy. But a minority school argues that China should rely instead on the country’s traditional political thought, emphasizing the universal value of traditional Chinese philosophy.
主流派被称为“中国学派”。该派与政府观点一致，都坚持将“有中国特色的马克思主义”作为中国外交政策的基本原则。而少数派则认为中国应以本国传统政治思想为基础，强调传统中国哲学中的普世价值。就在中国共产党党报《人民日报》不断发文抨击普世价值这一理念的情况下，党却为中国传统思想的核心人物孔子恢复了名誉，以致在天安门广场东侧竖起孔子的塑像。