Last Friday’s Nobel Peace Price ceremony was widely interpreted as an embarrassment for China’s leadership. But it was more remarkable as the latest example of China’s growing ability to convince other countries to support it in international forums, and in particular in the multinational institutions that set the world’s rules.
Some 20 countries declined an invitation to send their ambassador to the ceremonial in the Oslo City Hall last week. True, most have long-standing scepticism of human rights. Their decisions to stay away came after Chinese lobbying and with an awareness of their growing dependence on the Chinese market. China has also long opposed interference in its internal affairs and sought support from developing countries. What has changed, however, is the effectiveness with which Beijing is using these alliances to counterbalance the minority of developed countries.
Facing emerging economic powers, the west had expected to be able to use international organisations to promote liberal standards, and advance its own economic interests. It thought the challenge was to “socialise” China into the existing order. Chinese diplomats took some time to get to grips with the their memberships of the most important of these international and regional institutions. But now they are becoming ever more effective in exploiting them to defend China’s vital interests and political norms.