The People’s Republic of China was founded in opposition to empire. The Chinese Communist Party built its identity on anti-imperialism, presenting itself as the vanguard of a global struggle against Western domination. Chinese leader Mao Zedong saw the Bolshevik Revolution as the opening act of that struggle, and after the communist victory and the creation of the People’s Republic in 1949, Beijing elevated “noninterference” to become a core principle of its foreign policy. The concept became a powerful diplomatic instrument, helping China position itself as a champion of postcolonial sovereignty and win support across the global South. Yet even at its inception, this principle was more propaganda than doctrine. Mao backed communist insurgencies abroad and sent Chinese “volunteers” to fight in the Korean War. As China’s capabilities expanded, so, too, did the reach of its activities beyond its borders.…