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Notwithstanding the dominant narrative of Beijing’s takeover of fragile democracies, it is possible to resist Chinese autocratization while also reaping benefits from its development aid. Three variables predict a state’s capacity to spoil the democracy-subversion campaign of the People’s Republic of China (PRC): the strength of political institutions, the level of socioeconomic development, and the will of its traditional partners to help defy Beijing’s policies and to offer alternative means of support. This essay dissects the PRC’s modus operandi in undermining democracies in the Global South and illustrates — through the experiences of Sri Lanka, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji — how China pursues its objectives and how countries it targets attempt to constrain its influence.
Image Credit: Xiangjiao