Humanitarian diplomacy as an instrument for China’s image-building

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 humanitarian 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.

China-Indonesia Relations: The Debate over Foreign Aid during the COVID-19 Era

“…This pandemic also exacerbates various social problems, such as increasing social inequality and layoffs that threaten social stability. The United Nations budgeted USD 10.3 billion through Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19 to address the problem (Gong, 2021). The OECD also emphasized that foreign aid during a pandemic, particularly important in the distribution of vaccines and hospital facilities in the country's developmentsupport the acceleration of global recovery in all areas sector (OECD, 2021).…”

“…This dynamic role is seen when China delivers assistance in the supply of health facilities, health workers, and assistance funding to 150 countries worldwide and several international organizations. President Xi Jinping also revealed that China is committed to making vaccines from China a global public commodity and is reserved to provide funding assistance in the United Nations scheme dealing with COVID-19 disasters (Gong, 2021). Among the 150 countries, Southeast Asia is an area in which China has given sufficient focus to provide foreign aid during a pandemic.…”

“…In addition, through the Protocol on Prevention and Control of COVID-19 and the Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for COVID-19 -China and Indonesia exchange procedures for managing COVID-19. China has also resulted in cooperation between pharmaceutical companies -Sinovac Biotech (China) and Bio Farma (Indonesia) -in vaccine development and production (Embassy of China, 2020); Gong, 2021). Through this collaboration, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia traveled to China to produce a collaboration agreement between Bio Farma and Sinovac Biotech for the supply of 40 million doses of vaccine to Indonesia from November 2020 until March 2021, as well as the priority supply of vaccines from April until December 2021 (Musthofa et al, 2021).…”

“…It can be seen in China's assistance to Nepal, which experienced this earthquake in 2015, to Cambodia, which experienced severe floods due to the collapse of the hydropower dam in 2018. Furthermore, China also provided assistance to Indonesia, which was experiencing a tsunami disaster (Gong, 2021).…”

“…Third, Chinese aid in Nepal in 2015 also did not escape criticism because it was full of interest in the struggle for influence in the South Asian region with India. Some of the prejudice and criticism from the international community towards China then raises questions about China's actions in providing foreign aid and what values and interests it embodies as a motive for the action (Gong, 2021).…”