Abstract
The phenomenon of “Chinese” Forums emerged in the early 2000s. These forums are frameworks that have become an important cog of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s diplomacy. They are recognized internationally, and more than dozens of sovereign nations are either members or are represented in such forums. Using a comparative analysis, this chapter seeks to understand these forums from a multilateral perspective and in terms of paradiplomacy, soft power, and people-to-people exchanges. Based on a qualitative methodology and drawing on extensive literature examination and documentation analysis, this study identifies similarities and differences between forums, and demonstrates how they contribute to China’s foreign policy. The international mechanisms initiated and/or led by the PRC that this study has chosen to examine are: the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the Forum of China and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (a.k.a. China–CELAC Forum, or CCF), the BOAO Forum for Asia (BFA), the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Forum Macao), the China–Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF), and the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF). This research finds that these mechanisms are unique and adaptable to specific geographic locations and purposes, that the forums’ decision-making processes are predominantly multilateral, and that their role in the PRC’s foreign policy is wide-ranging and significant.
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Notes
- 1.
Eswatini is a member of the African Union instead of a member state of Forum on China–Africa Cooperation, since it does not have diplomatic relation with the People’s Republic of China.
- 2.
Sub-forums in FOCAC include China-Africa People’s Forum, China-Africa Young Leaders Forum, Ministerial Forum on China-Africa Health Cooperation, Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation, China-Africa Poverty Reduction and Development Conference, FOCAC-Legal Forum, Forum on China-Africa Local Government Cooperation, and China-Africa Think Tanks Forum. Retrieved on August 22, 2021, from http://www.focac.org/eng/ltjj_3/ltjz/
- 3.
Sub-forums in CASCF include China-Arab Reform and Development Forum, Entrepreneur Conference and Investment Seminar of China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, China-Arab Media Cooperation Forum, China Arab Towns Forum, China-Arab States BDS (BeiDou Navigation Satellite System) Cooperation Forum, China-Arab Women’s Forum, China-Arab States Health Cooperation Forum, China-Arab TV Cooperation Forum. Retrieved on August 22, 2021, from http://www.chinaarabcf.org/chn/ltjz/ggjzlzzdh/dlcggjzlzdh/
- 4.
Sub-forums in CELAC include China-LAC Agricultural Ministers’ Forum, China-LAC Scientific and Technological Innovation Forum, China-LAC Business Summit, China-LAC Think-Tanks Forum, China-LAC Young Political Leaders’ Forum, China-LAC Infrastructure Cooperation Forum, China-Latin America and Caribbean Region People-to-People Friendship Forum, China-CELAC Political Parties Forum. Retrieved on August 22, 2021, from http://www.chinacelacforum.org/eng/
- 5.
Sub-forums in BRF focused on policy, infrastructure, trade, financial and people-to-people connectivity, think-tank exchanges, clean silk road, digital silk road, green silk road, silk road of innovation, sub-national cooperation, and economic and trade cooperation zone promotion. Retrieved on August 22, 2021, from https://www.beltandroad.gov.hk/activities_20190423.html.
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dos Santos, P.P., Li, Y., Alves, J. (2023). The New Face of Multilateralism: The Case of “Chinese” Forums. In: Duarte, P.A.B., Leandro, F.J.B.S., Galán, E.M. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Globalization with Chinese Characteristics. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-6700-9_16
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