China lacks diplomatic talent at global agencies despite its rising international clout
Chinese employees account for only a small percentage of staff at international bodies such as the United Nations
China needs to expand its pool of diplomatic talent if its growing global clout is to be matched by its presence in international organisations, observers say.
China’s influence is rising around the world but it still accounts for only a small percentage of staff at international bodies such as the United Nations.
Observers say this is partly due to a shortage of Chinese candidates with extensive diplomatic knowledge and experience, despite hundreds of thousands of Chinese studying overseas each year.
The central government should take steps to identify and develop a pool of talent, they say.
Officials said less than 3 per cent of employees at major international institutions were Chinese. For example, only about 200 of the roughly 10,000 people employed at the World Bank’s headquarters and country offices are Chinese, according to a finance ministry source who worked for two years at the lender’s Office of the Executive Director for China.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation says it employs about 3,200 people worldwide, but only about 50 are Chinese, according to Niu Dun, China’s permanent representative at the agency.