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co-sponsored by EDGS and THE SERIES IN THE SOCIETY AND POLITICS OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC

Andrew Mertha, Cornell University

Observers of China tend to take for granted the fact that Chinese domestic politics are highly fragmented, yet they also tend to relax these assumptions when analyzing China as an international actor. In this talk, Mertha argues that the domestic institutional fragmentation of Chinese politics can carry over into its international behavior. Using the historical case of Chinese foreign assistance to Democratic Kampuchea, Mertha argues that the effectiveness of Chinese foreign aid -- and the influence that comes with it -- is only as strong as the domestic institutions that manage the bilateral relationship. This has potential implications to help us understand the extent of Chinese international influence today.