China is spending big on diplomacy in Central and South Asia, but is it worth it?
- Beijing’s foreign ministry budget has been growing by 11 per cent a year and will soon match that of the European Union
- But observers say China focuses too much on other nations’ political elite and not enough on ordinary people
China is putting more effort into cultivating ties with key politicians in Central and South Asian countries to extend its reach in the region, and in some cases even influence elections in its favour, according to a new US research report.
The diplomatic push is being supported with bigger budgets, with spending by the foreign ministry set to match that of the European Union by 2027 if it continues to grow at a similar pace.
Between 2000 and 2017, Chinese officials made 1,039 visits to South Asia and 722 visits to Central Asia, according to a study by AidData, a research lab at the College of William & Mary in the United States.
In Nepal, Chinese officials have met most of the country’s Communist leaders. The report said Beijing had provided financial support to the election campaigns of several Nepalese politicians and that Chinese officials accompanied them on visits to their home constituencies, though it added that such a practice was not unique to China.
The cultivation of top-level ties in Nepal is crucial to China’s geopolitical ambitions, as the landlocked nation is seen as being in India’s backyard.