Humanitarian diplomacy as an instrument for China’s image-building
| DOI | 10.1177/20578911211019257 |
| Date | 01 September 2021 |
| Published date | 01 September 2021 |
| Subject Matter | Special issue articles |
Humanitarian diplomacy
as an instrument for
China’s image-building
Lina Gong
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Abstract
Image-building has been an important goal of China’s foreign policy. Humanitarian diplomacy
provides a useful instrument to build a benign international image, given the altruistic nature of
humanitarian action. China’s humanitarian diplomacy has undergone changes in recent years, such
as substantial increases in humanitarian spending, institutional reforms and the emergence of
Chinese non-state actors. The existing literature on China’s humanitarian activities is scant due to
the country’s limited engagement in global humanitarian action previously. This article aims to
contribute to the scholarship by examining China’s humanitarian activities in Southeast Asia during
the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of image-building. Specifically, it answers the questions
of how China uses humanitarian action to improve its international image and how effective such
efforts have been. This article finds that the outcome of China’s image-building through humani-
tarian activities is influenced by the severity of the crisis, the national response of the country
affected and the perceived legitimacy of China’s action. It concludes that China’s humanitarian
diplomacy has achieved mixed outcomes in Southeast Asia. While China has been recognized as a
major provider of help during the pandemic, its assistance has not substantially improved its image
in the region.
Keywords
China, COVID-19, humanitarian diplomacy, image-building, Southeast Asia
Introduction
China has been seeking a benign and responsible image in the past two decades, and participating
in global governance has provided an important avenue for the country to achieve this foreign
policy goal. Among global challenges, China has been more active in areas that are related to trade
Corresponding author:
Lina Gong, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Block S4, Level B3, 50 Nanyang
Avenue, 639799, Singapore.
Email: islinagong@ntu.edu.sg
Asian Journal of Comparative Politics
ªThe Author(s) 2021
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/20578911211019257
journals.sagepub.com/home/acp
2021, Vol. 6(3) 238–252
Special issue article
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