In recent years, the government in Beijing has taken an offensive attitude in regard to the territorial claims in Asia. China has disputes in the south, east and west of the country. The pursuit of these geopolitical objectives has come at the expense of its neighbours. However, we cannot pass everything off as Chinese expansionism since every dispute is unique in its origin. And, what may appear as aggressive posture by China, can be rationally explained by examining the country’s early-modern history that shaped the national mindset.