Beijing spent $65b on charm offensive to win friends: US study

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-note the term 'charm offensive', which is something like making yourself attractive and appealing to the other party as a form of 'attacking' strategy, such that the other party will find it hard to resist you and will give in to what u want....a bit like 美人计?

-We have heard of sport, food and panda diplomacy (well, at least I hope u have!), and now there's cultural and financial diplomacy i.e. using culture and money to build good relations.

-Charity can be good for humanitarian aid and helping to develop poorer countries.....It can also be used to generate good-will and build good diplomatic relations. On the flip side of this, some charitable acts come with strings attached, whether overtly or covertly seeking to influence the recipient country in the interests of the donor country.

China has gone all out to woo its neighbours in recent years, spending at least US$48 billion (S$65 billion) to win friends between 2000 and 2016, a US study has found.

The lion's share, or US$45.8 billion, was spent on infrastructure, while the rest went to humanitarian aid, debt relief, and grants and loans given as "gifts" with no earmarked purpose.

A country was also more likely to side with Beijing the more official visits it received. The report said these visits could be a potent tool for Beijing to cultivate close ties with political elites and coax them to adopt its positions. "Beijing's intense focus on courting political and business elites, as well as its emphasis on financial diplomacy, could increase the risk of undue influence with leaders willing to exchange favours for economic gain."

China's use of public diplomacy to persuade citizens to sympathise with its views and leaders to side with its position.

Qns:
1. Is there still a place for charity in today’s world? (Cam. 2006)
2. Is foreign intervention in the affairs of a country ever justified?