China’s evolving multilateralism

There’s an important new report out on China’s participation in international organizations that appears to offer a fairly nuanced view of Beijing’s multilateralism (h/t China Real Time Report from the Wall Street Journal): China has demonstrated an increasingly assertive and proactive stance within these organizations, which has combined in some cases with greater institutional power. ...

By , a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies.

There's an important new report out on China's participation in international organizations that appears to offer a fairly nuanced view of Beijing's multilateralism (h/t China Real Time Report from the Wall Street Journal):

There’s an important new report out on China’s participation in international organizations that appears to offer a fairly nuanced view of Beijing’s multilateralism (h/t China Real Time Report from the Wall Street Journal):

China has demonstrated an increasingly assertive and proactive stance within these organizations, which has combined in some cases with greater institutional power. Across the board, China has become more effective in utilizing international organizations to advance national interests, and to extract what it needs from these institutions. China’s growing role not only supports its strategic interests, but, it should be acknowledged, is also frequently constructive and helpful for the organizations in which it participates. Furthermore, to the extent these organizations accomplish work that is beneficial to the global community at large, China rightfully deserves its fair share of credit for its support and contributions. Importantly, from a tactical point of view, China’s constructive engagement in these organizations is shrewd because it heightens Chinese credibility, which further strengthens China’s influence, and its ability to achieve its objectives.

This tracks with much of what I’ve seen and heard from folks in and around key international institutions. Chinese officials are more skilled and much more engaged than they were even a decade ago. And for the most part, China’s eager to avoid open obstructionism in these fora. As seen on Libya yesterday, China has been very reluctant to use its Security Council veto. 

David Bosco is a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He is the author of The Poseidon Project: The Struggle to Govern the World’s Oceans. Twitter: @multilateralist

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