Editing Foreign relations of China (section)

==Foreign policy==
[[File:Air China B-2047 China-France PEK.JPG|thumb|An [[Air China]] [[Boeing 777]] in China-France 50 years anniversary livery]]
{{main|Foreign policy of China}}{{Further|China and the United Nations}}
Since [[History of the People's Republic of China (1976–1989)#Reform and opening up|the start of the period of Reform and Opening Up]] in 1978, China has sought a higher profile in the UN through its permanent seat on the [[United Nations Security Council]] and other multilateral organizations.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Kristine|date=15 April 2020|title=It's Not Just the WHO: How China Is Moving on the Whole U.N.|url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/04/15/its-not-just-the-who-how-china-is-moving-on-the-whole-un-189029|access-date=15 October 2022|website=[[Politico]]}}</ref>

China traditionally operates separate tracks of government-to-government and party-to-party relations, the latter for example via the Communist Party's [[International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party|International Liaison Department]].<ref name="Ong-2023">{{Cite book|last=Ong|first=Andrew|title=Stalemate: Autonomy and Insurgency on the China-Myanmar Border|date=2023|publisher=[[Cornell University Press]]|isbn=978-1-5017-7071-5|jstor=10.7591/j.ctv2t8b78b}}</ref>{{Rp|page=137}}

=== Asian neighbors ===
China's relations with its Asian neighbors became more stable during the last decades of the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kang|first=David C.|year=2005|title=Why China's Rise Will Be Peaceful: Hierarchy and Stability in the East Asian Region|journal=Perspectives on Politics|volume=3|issue=3|pages=551–554|doi=10.1017/S1537592705270342|jstor=3689029|s2cid=145193988|issn=1537-5927}}</ref> It has cultivated a more cooperative relationship with members of the [[Association of Southeast Asian Nations]] (ASEAN), and participated in the [[Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations#ASEAN Regional Forum|ASEAN Regional Forum]]. In 1997, the ASEAN member nations and China, South Korea and Japan agreed to hold yearly talks to further strengthen regional cooperation, the [[ASEAN Plus Three]] meetings.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Routledge handbook of Asian regionalism|date=2012|publisher=[[Routledge]]|editor=Mark Beeson|editor2=Richard Stubbs|isbn=978-0-415-58054-0|location=Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon|oclc=666242764}}</ref> In 2005, the "ASEAN Plus Three" countries together with India, Australia and New Zealand held the inaugural [[East Asia Summit]] (EAS).<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 December 2005|title=Chairman's Statement of the First East Asia Summit, Kuala Lumpur, 14 December 2005|url=http://www.aseansec.org/18104.htm|access-date=14 October 2022|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051216112947/http://www.aseansec.org/18104.htm|archive-date=16 December 2005}}</ref> Relations have improved with Vietnam since the 1979 [[Sino-Vietnamese War]] and subsequent [[Sino-Vietnamese conflicts (1979–1991)|Sino-Vietnamese conflicts]] although maritime disputes remain.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ross|first=Robert S.|date=4 July 2021|title=China-Vietnamese Relations in the Era of Rising China: Power, Resistance, and Maritime Conflict|journal=Journal of Contemporary China|volume=30|issue=130|pages=613–629|doi=10.1080/10670564.2020.1852737|s2cid=230609101|issn=1067-0564}}</ref>

A [[Territorial disputes in the South China Sea|territorial dispute]] with its Southeast Asian neighbors over islands in the [[South China Sea]] remains unresolved, as does another dispute in the [[East China Sea]] with Japan. For the countries involved, these conflicts have had a negative impact on China's reputation.<ref>{{cite web|date=18 July 2013|title=Poll: Mutual Distrust Grows Between China, US|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/poll-many-see-china-overtaking-us-as-top-superpower/1704167.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219210204/http://www.voanews.com/content/poll-many-see-china-overtaking-us-as-top-superpower/1704167.html|archive-date=19 February 2015|access-date=19 February 2015|url-status=live|publisher=[[Voice of America]]}}</ref>

The 2023 edition of China's "standard map" unveiled by its Ministry of Natural Resources on 28 August 2023, met with objections from its Asian neighbors the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and India, all of which are involved in [[Territorial disputes in the South China Sea|territorial disputes]] with China.<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 September 2023|title=China's new map outrages its neighbors|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-new-map-anger-india-south-china-sea-border-disputes-rcna102921|access-date=28 October 2023|publisher=[[NBC News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=1 September 2023|title=China's new national map has set off a wave of protests. Why?|url=https://apnews.com/article/china-map-territorial-dispute-south-sea-702c45165d7f9cade796700fffa5691e|access-date=28 October 2023|work=[[Associated Press News]]}}</ref>

=== India ===
[[China–India relations|Relations with India]] have fluctuated greatly over the years. After years of competition, general distrust between the two, and several border conflicts, relations in the 21st century between the world's two most populous states stabilized, only for relations to suffer a massive hit in the late 2010s due to multiple border standoffs that resulted in deaths on both sides. While both countries have doubled their economic trade in the past few years, and China became India's largest trading partner in 2010, there is increasing unease in India regarding the perceived Chinese advantage in their trade relationship. The two countries are planning to host joint naval exercises. The dispute over [[Aksai Chin]] (formerly a part of the Indian territory of [[Ladakh]]) and [[South Tibet]] (China) or [[Arunachal Pradesh]] (India) is not settled and plagues Sino-Indian relations. While New Delhi has raised objections to Chinese military-aid to arch-rival [[Pakistan]] and neighboring [[Bangladesh]], Beijing similarly objects to India's growing military collaboration with Japan, Australia and the U.S.<ref>{{cite news|date=23 August 2007|title=Japan courts India to counter China: Analysts|work=[[The Economic Times]]|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Japan_courts_India_to_counter_China_Analysts/articleshow/2305041.cms|url-status=live|access-date=25 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126115232/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Japan_courts_India_to_counter_China_Analysts/articleshow/2305041.cms|archive-date=26 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200708240333.htm|location=Chennai, India|work=The Hindu|title=Wargame with India not to put China in a closet: US admiral|date=24 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102071341/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200708240333.htm|archive-date=2 November 2012}}</ref>

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated over the past decade, especially after [[2020–2021 China–India skirmishes|2020–2021 skirmishes]] along the border in the [[Galwan River|Galwan Valley]] involving Indian and Chinese military personnel.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Three Things to Know About China-India Tensions|url=https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/10/three-things-know-about-china-india-tensions|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231020233341/https://www.usip.org/publications/2023/10/three-things-know-about-china-india-tensions|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 October 2023|access-date=26 October 2023|website=United States Institute of Peace}}</ref>

=== International territorial disputes ===
{{main|Territorial disputes of the People's Republic of China}}

China has had border or maritime disputes with several countries, including with Vietnam in the [[Gulf of Tonkin]] and with Japan. Beijing has resolved many of these disputes. Notably on 21 July 2008, Russia finally resolved the last remaining border dispute along the 4300&nbsp;km border between the two countries by ceding a small amount of territory to China.<ref>{{cite news|date=21 July 2008|title=China, Russia sign border agreement|work=[[Business Standard]], [[Press Trust of India]]|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?tp=on&autono=42718|access-date=19 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211141134/http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?tp=on&autono=42718|archive-date=11 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=24 July 2008|title=The Sino-Russian border: The cockerel's cropped crest|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|url=http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11792951|url-status=live|access-date=19 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829172624/http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11792951|archive-date=29 August 2009}}</ref>

Territorial disputes with other countries below:<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />

* The PRC claims the ''de jure'' administration of [[Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China|Taiwan Province]], as well as mainland-nearby islands of [[Kinmen]] and [[Matsu Islands]], currently controlled by the '''[[Republic of China]]'''.<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />
* 10 features in the [[Yalu River|Yalu]] (Korean: Amnok) river are in dispute with '''North Korea'''.<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />
* Border dispute with '''India'''; India claims control of [[Aksai Chin]], which China seized during the [[Sino-Indian War]] of 1962, while China claims most of the Indian state of [[Arunachal Pradesh]] (called [[South Tibet]] by China).<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />
*Portions of the [[Bhutan–China border|Bhutan-China border]].<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />
* China claims the administration of [[Senkaku Islands]] (Diaoyutai Islands), currently held by '''[[Japan]]'''.<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />
*South China Sea Issue (《Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea》 was signed by the People's Republic of China and the 10 ASEAN countries (10+1) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 4 November 2002)
** [[Paracel Islands]] administered and occupied by the People's Republic, but claimed by '''Vietnam'''.<ref>China and Bhutan have not yet established diplomatic relations, nevertheless negotiations are ongoing as of 2008.</ref>
** Involved in a dispute with '''the''' '''[[Philippines]]''' over [[Scarborough Shoal]].<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />
**Involved in a [[Spratly Islands dispute|complex dispute over the Spratly Islands]] with '''Malaysia''', '''the [[Philippines]]''', '''Vietnam''', '''Taiwan''', and possibly '''[[Brunei]]'''.<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />
**The maritime area in South China Sea, which China claimed sovereignty on area surrounding shoals and islands in the Sea, as well as historical right over the area in [[nine-dash line]], while countries like the United States and Japan consider the maritime area as [[international water]].<ref>{{cite web|date=10 June 2015|title=The South China Sea conflict in a nutshell|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2015/06/10/commentary/world-commentary/south-china-sea-conflict-nutshell/}}</ref>
*[[Exclusive economic zone]] disputes with '''North Korea''' in the [[Yellow Sea]]; '''[[South Korea]]''' in the Yellow and [[East China Sea]]s; '''[[Japan]]''' in the East China Sea ([[East China Sea EEZ disputes]]); '''Vietnam''', the '''[[Philippines]]''', '''Malaysia''', '''[[Brunei]]''' and '''[[Indonesia]]''' in the South China Sea.<ref name="ciaworldfactbook" />

Territorial disputes listed above as between the PRC and ROC ("Taiwan") stems from the question of which government is the legitimate government of China. The Republic of China which views itself as the successor state of the Qing Dynasty did not renounce any territory which fell under de facto control of other states (i.e. Mongolia), but has largely been a non-participant in enforcing these claims. The People's Republic of China which inherited the claims has settled a number of such disputes with Mongolia and Russia via bilateral treaties, not recognized by the Republic of China. In this respect, the territorial disputes between the PRC and neighboring countries may be considered a subset of those between the ROC and said countries.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

Bloomberg News reports that these disputes are undermining China's attempts to charm its neighbors away from American influence.<ref>Forsythe, Michael and Sakamaki, Sachiko [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-26/china-s-asian-charm-offensive-in-shambles-over-disputes-with-neighbors.html China's Asian Charm Offensive in `Shambles' Over Disputes With Neighbors] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103180245/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-26/china-s-asian-charm-offensive-in-shambles-over-disputes-with-neighbors.html|date=3 November 2012}} [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]], 26 September 2010</ref> China has come to rely more on military power to resolve these disputes. China has made double digit percentage increases in its military budget for many years, though as a percentage of its fast growing GDP falling from 1.4% in 2006 to 1.3% in 2011.<ref>[http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-04/chinese-military-spending-will-rise-11-percent-in-2012 "China Raising 2012 Defense Spending to Cope With Unfriendly 'Neighborhood'."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305072900/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-03-04/chinese-military-spending-will-rise-11-percent-in-2012|date=5 March 2012}} ''[[Bloomberg Businessweek]]''. 4 March 2012.</ref> This may lead to a China causing its own encirclement by nations that are ever more firmly aligned against an increasingly well armed and dominant China.<ref>[https://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/03/05/chinas-defense-spending-dilemma/ "China's Defense Spending Dilemma."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807040319/https://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/03/05/chinas-defense-spending-dilemma/|date=7 August 2017}} ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''. 5 March 2012.</ref> As of 2013 this has caused even the Philippines to invite back onto their soil not just the Americans, but also the Japanese.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Zachary Keck|author2=The Diplomat|title=Made in China: A US-Japan-Philippines Axis?|url=https://thediplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2013/06/29/made-in-china-a-us-japan-philippines-axis/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111190223/https://thediplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2013/06/29/made-in-china-a-us-japan-philippines-axis/|archive-date=11 November 2013|access-date=19 February 2015|work=The Diplomat}}</ref>

[[File:20041120-1 bushchinamtg-1-515h.jpg|thumb|[[Hu Jintao]] of China and [[George W. Bush]] meet while attending an [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation|APEC]] summit in Santiago de Chile, 2004.]]

In March 2024, it was revealed that Japan and the European Union are set to engage in discussions regarding cooperation on advanced materials for next-generation chips and batteries, aiming to decrease their dependence on China. EU Commissioner for Innovation and Research, Iliana Ivanova, highlighted the potential mutual benefits of establishing a dialogue framework.<ref>{{Cite news|date=30 March 2024|title=Japan, EU to discuss cooperation on tech materials to cut reliance on China, Nikkei says|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/japan-eu-discuss-cooperation-tech-materials-cut-reliance-china-nikkei-says-2024-03-30/|access-date=31 March 2024}}</ref>

===21st century===
{{Further|Territorial disputes in the South China Sea|Political status of Taiwan|Chinese intelligence activity abroad}}
At a national meeting on diplomatic work in August 2004, [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) general secretary Hu Jintao reiterated that China will continue its "independent foreign policy of peaceful development," stressing the need for a peaceful and stable international environment, especially among China's neighbors, that will foster "mutually beneficial cooperation" and "common development." This policy line had varied little in intent since the People's Republic was established in 1949, but the rhetoric has varied in its stridency to reflect periods of domestic political upheaval.

In 2007, Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman [[Qin Gang]] made an eight-point statement explaining the diplomatic philosophy of China in response to U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's earlier remarks on China's military spending and China's anti-satellite test in January 2007 posing a global threat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/mar/01/20070301-104826-2978r/|title=Beijing likens Cheney criticism to nosy neighbor|work=The Washington Times|access-date=19 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219202935/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/mar/01/20070301-104826-2978r/|archive-date=19 February 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping (2019-06-05) 57.jpg|thumb|[[Paramount leader|Chinese leader]] [[Xi Jinping]] presented [[Panda diplomacy|two pandas]] to [[Moscow Zoo]] at a ceremony with [[Vladimir Putin]] on 5 June 2019]]In 2011, Foreign Minister [[Yang Jiechi]] outlined plans for an "integrated approach" that would serve China's economic development.<ref>Ho, Stephanie. [https://www.voanews.com/a/chinese-foreign-relations-to-focus-on-more-active-diplomacy-117511453/136106.html "Chinese Foreign Relations to Focus on More Active Diplomacy."]  Voice of America, 7 March 2011.</ref>

In 2016, during the 6th Plenum of [[18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party]], Party General Secretary Xi Jinping has presented efforts for greater transparency in the decision-making process in local governance, which also represent his effort in establishing a positive image of China's Communist Party overseas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://asiatimes.com/chinas-sixth-plenum-xi-strives-polish-image-abroad/|title=In China's sixth plenum, Xi strives to polish image abroad|last=Lai|first=Christina|date=26 October 2016|website=Asia Times|access-date=11 November 2016}}</ref>

At their annual meeting on 13 June 2021, country leaders from the [[Group of Seven]] (G7) criticized China for a series of abuses. The G7 nations—the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan—had been hesitant about acting separately. Pressured by US President [[Joe Biden]], they unanimously agreed on a sharp criticism, followed by a similar strong unanimous attack by [[NATO]] members the next day. The criticisms focused on the mistreatment of the [[Uyghurs|Uyghur]] minority, the systematic destruction of democracy in Hong Kong, repeated military threats against Taiwan, unfair trade practices, and lack of transparency regarding the origins of COVID-19. China has rejected all criticism of what it considers to be strictly internal policy matters. On the other hand, the constellation of critics is essential to the Chinese economy in terms of jobs, investments and purchases of its huge quantity of exports.<ref>{{Cite web|last=STUART LAU|date=13 June 2021|title=US and Europe converge on historic rebuke of China|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/us-europe-rebuke-china-economic-practices-g7-human-rights-xinjiang-coronavirus/|website=[[Politico Europe]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Areddy|first=James T.|date=14 June 2021|title=Back-to-Back Rebukes of China Mark a Turning Point|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/back-to-back-rebukes-of-china-mark-a-turning-point-11623710320|access-date=15 April 2022|issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref>Sabine Siebold, Steve Holland and Robin Emmott, "NATO adopts tough line on China at Biden's debut summit with alliance" [https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/nato-welcomes-biden-pivotal-post-trump-summit-2021-06-14/ ''Reuters'' June 14, 2021]</ref><ref>Karla Adam et al.. "G-7 takes stronger stand against China, at U.S. urging" [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/queen-elizabeth-biden-g7/2021/06/13/078574de-c7cf-11eb-8708-64991f2acf28_story.html ''Washington Post'' June 13, 2021].</ref>

China's early success in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic facilitated its [[mask diplomacy]].<ref name="Zhao-2023">{{Cite book|last=Zhao|first=Suisheng|title=The dragon roars back: transformational leaders and dynamics of Chinese foreign policy|date=2023|publisher=[[Stanford University Press]]|isbn=978-1-5036-3088-8|location=Stanford, California|page=90|oclc=1331741429}}</ref> Chinese ownership of much of the global medical supply chain enhanced its ability to send doctors and medical equipment to suffering countries.<ref name="Zhao-2023" /> China soon followed its mask diplomacy with [[vaccine diplomacy]].<ref name="Zhao-2023" /> China's infection rates were sufficiently low that it could send vaccines abroad without domestic objections.<ref name="Zhao-2023" /> Academic [[Suisheng Zhao]] writes that "[j]ust by showing up and helping plug the colossal gaps in the global supply, China gained ground."<ref name="Zhao-2023" />