How to Make China Adapt to Local Needs

Many in the West, especially Washington, argue that China extends its global influence by exporting and imposing its developmental model on other countries. But this analysis ignores the ways in which China’s engagement accommodates local actors and institutions—adapting and assimilating local and traditional forms, norms, and practices—and ultimately reflects their demands. A multiyear Carnegie project explores adaptive strategies by Chinese actors in response to the demands of local partners across seven regions of the world. These strategies are mostly ignored by Western policymakers.

Join us for a lively discussion of powerful similarities and intriguing differences across four regions—Southeast Asia, Latin America, Central Asia, and South Asia—and what can be learned by comparing local strategies and Chinese responses around infrastructure, investment, and training