WELCOME!
My name is Xudong Zhu. I am a PhD candidate in International History at the University of Aberdeen.
I hold a Master of Arts in American Studies from Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany, and a Bachelor’s degree in Law with a focus on Diplomacy from Jilin University, China. My academic journey has centered on International Relations, encompassing international history, IR theory, international law, and international organizations. At Heidelberg, I specialized in U.S. history, politics, and the transatlantic alliance.
My research interests also extend to German politics and foreign affairs, German history, and the European Union.
PhD Project
My dissertation, tentatively titled "Germany’s Impact on China’s Rebuilding and Modernization: Beyond a Geo-Military Perspective (1928–1938)", explores the largely overlooked military and strategic cooperation between the Weimar Republic/Third Reich and the Nanjing Government of the Republic of China. This interdisciplinary study bridges history and international relations, examining how the German grand strategy influenced China’s vision of great power status.
By analyzing the ideological and strategic exchanges between these two countries, my research aims to deepen our understanding of China’s early 20th-century modernization. It will also demonstrate how strategic ideas transcend cultural and national boundaries, shaping state-building and military development in diverse geopolitical contexts.
NEWS and UPDATES
[Feb. 2025] I am delighted to share that I have been admitted as a PhD candidate in History at the University of Aberdeen.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Applied History
- Global Security and Governance
- Historical Statecraft
- Realpolitik and Grand Strategy
- Sino-German/European Relations
- Sino-US Relations
