Understanding Drivers of China's Foreign Policy with Helena Legarda

There are many factors that have led to China's more assertive foreign policy, especially under Xi Jinping. In this episode, Helena Legarda discusses the centralization of power within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and how this has influenced China's strategic ambitions on the global stage. She also highlights the increasing role of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in defense diplomacy and how various domestic agencies, including think tanks and local governments, contribute to shaping China’s foreign policy.

The conversation also touches on the CCP's reliance on nationalism as a source of legitimacy, especially in the face of economic challenges. Helena discusses how this heightened nationalism impacts China's foreign relations and the challenges it poses for the international community.

Additionally, the conversation explores the evolving relationship between Europe and China, particularly the European Union's strategy of "de-risking" rather than decoupling from China. Legarda provides insights into how Europe’s changing stance towards China might influence global geopolitics and the role that countries like India could play in this new strategic environment.

How does China balance its ambitions for global leadership with the growing challenges at home? What role does defense diplomacy play in China's foreign policy? And how are global powers like the EU and India adjusting to China's rising influence?

Episode Contributors

Helena Legarda is a lead analyst with MERICS. Her research focuses on China’s defense and foreign policies, including their domestic sources and drivers, and their geopolitical impact. Prior to joining MERICS she gained professional experience at the Delegation of the European Union to China and at research and advisory firm China Policy in Beijing. 

Shibani Mehta is a senior research analyst with the Security Studies Program at Carnegie India. Her research focuses on the India-China boundary dispute with the purpose of analyzing India’s foreign and security policy decision-making. She also writes extensively on South Asian regional dynamics and minilaterals in the Indo-Pacific.

Additional Readings:

The Xi Jinping Doctrine of China’s International Relations by Feng Zhang

China’s New International Paradigm: Security First by Helena Legarda 

"Comprehensive National Security" Unleashed: How Xi's approach Shapes China's Policies at Home and Abroad by Katja Drinhausen and Helena Legarda 

EU-China Relations: De-Risking or De-Coupling − The Future of the EU Strategy Towards China 

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