Economic Statecraft and China

Economic statecraft, or the use of economic policy instruments in attempts at influence, has become increasingly germane to international diplomacy and security. China has developed from a target of economic statecraft, as seen in sanctions on China after the Tiananmen crackdown in 1989, to an active user of economic statecraft. This course traces that shift, including China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001, increasing participation in multilateral sanctions on other states, and accelerated trade and investments with all regions of the world. We will review different forms and possible drivers of China’s economic statecraft, such as China’s deployment of restrictions on trade and tourism, consumer boycotts, and the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013. We then consider the effectiveness of China’s economic statecraft, including the reactions of foreign governments, public opinion, and international organizations, and the intersection of economic statecraft and identity issues. Students will be able to identify change and continuity in China’s approach toward economic statecraft, conceptualize and evaluate the causes and consequences of economic statecraft in written essays and a group debate, and develop expertise on specific issue areas and countries in relation to China’s economic statecraft.