Skip to content
NUPI skole
Foto: NTB/Scanpix

Forskningsprosjekt

Chinese Anger Diplomacy

Do liberal-democratic states yield to public criticism by China? ANGER approaches this question by focusing on China's use of "anger diplomacy" - public, vehement displays at the state level in response to a perceived offense.

Themes

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
  • Nationalism
  • Comparative methods

A variety of governments and non-state actors have in recent years drawn the ire of Chinese officials and state-owned media for, inter alia, “hurting the feelings of the Chinese people” or being “gum stuck to China´s shoe.” Recent offenders include Denmark (for a newspaper cartoon), Australia (for suggesting an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19), and the National Basketball Association (for a pro-Hong Kong tweet).

Such criticism is distinct from normal diplomatic exchanges, as it is formulated in an emotionally charged register and presented publicly. While all states at times may display emotions, anger diplomacy in response to perceived offenses is arguably a more central part of Chinese foreign policy than it is for other great powers such as the US, Russia, or the EU.

With China’s emergence as a global power, there is a concern that such criticism will pressure liberal-democratic states to adjust their behaviour. But is such “anger diplomacy” effective? Does it result in changed behaviour from those targeted by Chinese authorities? Is anger diplomacy deployed more frequently towards certain liberal-democratic states than others?
ANGER will explain when and how such diplomacy may boost or undercut China's international influence. Drawing on the literature of emotions in international relations, and in cooperation with partners at Colombia University, King's College, NIAS, and University of Edinburgh, the project will systematically map episodes of Chinese anger, and conduct comparative analysis of the effects of Chinese anger diplomacy directed against state and non-state actors.

ANGER aims to i) systematically describe China’s use of emotionally charged criticism ii) explain the variation in response to such criticism in liberal-democratic states; and iii) assess how such anger diplomacy may boost or undercut China’s influence. By assessing how state-society relations may explain variation in responses and effects of such diplomacy, ANGER seeks to identify causal mechanisms at work. The project will further contribute to broader debates about hegemony, power-political competition, and the rise of China.

Project Manager

Morten Skumsrud Andersen
Senior Research Fellow, Head of the Research Group on Global Order and Diplomacy

Participants

Ole Jacob Sending
Research Professor, Head of Center for Geopolitics
Wrenn Yennie Lindgren
Senior Research Fellow
Minda Holm
Senior Research Fellow
Bjørnar Sverdrup-Thygeson
Former employee

Articles

Articles
Analysis
Articles
Analysis

Understanding Xi Jinping’s China

Over a year into Xi Jinping’s historic third five-year term as President, China continues to make headlines worldwide. Many of these headlines now suggest not only that China’s rise is slowing down but that it is only increasing in controversial terms vis-a-vis the West.
  • Foreign policy
  • Asia
Xi Jinping foran ungdom i juni 2024_169_WorldStage Foto NTB.png