This research is a philosophical investigation into how countries interpret ‘the international’ that will have relevance for International Relations and for contemporary understanding of Chinese foreign policy and interaction. Structurally, the research is twofold. Firstly, philosophical hermeneutics as developed by Hans-Georg Gadamer and Martin Heidegger, will be employed to demonstrate theory of how international units interpret and understand the international. Secondly, in order to operationalise this theory, an analysis of China as a case study will be conducted, through which I will seek to understand to what extent there is a unique Chinese understanding of the international. By understanding whether there is a unique Chinese interpretation of the international, better understanding of Chinese actions and behaviour in the context of the international will be attained.