China Diplomatic Profile
Seeking to rewrite the global order, the leadership expands its military power and deepens Russian ties to challenge American influence.
Under the tightening grip of President Xi Jinping, the People's Republic acts less like a patient participant in the global order and more like a determined architect of a new one. The Chinese Communist Party views American influence in Asia not merely as a nuisance but as an existential encirclement that must be broken. This drive explains the rapid naval buildup in the South China Sea and the aggressive diplomacy that has alienated neighbors from the Philippines to Japan. Yet, internal contradictions loom large. A staggering property crisis and demographic decline threaten the very economic engine that funds these ambitions. Externally, China has embraced Vladimir Putin’s Russia, seeing utility in a united front of authoritarians, while simultaneously courting developing nations with infrastructure loans and promises of non-interference. For President Xi, the ultimate historic mission remains Taiwan; erasing the island's self-rule is viewed as essential to national rejuvenation, making the Taiwan Strait the world's most volatile flashpoint.
Key Interests
- Dominating advanced technology supply chains
- Asserting sovereignty over Taiwan
- Countering American military power in Asia
China Allies and Enemies
China's closest allies: Laos (73), Russia (70), Pakistan (67), Cambodia (66), Tajikistan (61).
China's top rivals: Taiwan (-80), Lithuania (-62), United States (-61), Kosovo (-61), Estonia (-57).
Of 201 countries, China has 78 allies, 104 neutral relationships, and 19 enemies.
China Relations by Dimension
China's closest military partners are Pakistan (68), Russia (67), North Korea (60). Most adversarial military relationships: Taiwan (-86), Philippines (-70), United States (-68).
China's closest diplomatic partners are Laos (77), Russia (73), Kazakhstan (69). Most adversarial diplomatic relationships: Taiwan (-85), Kosovo (-76), Lithuania (-75).
China's closest regime relations partners are Laos (90), Pakistan (88), Cuba (86). Most adversarial regime relations relationships: Taiwan (-95), Kosovo (-83), Lithuania (-80).
China's closest societal relations partners are Laos (68), Pakistan (62), Serbia (52). Most adversarial societal relations relationships: Taiwan (-68), Estonia (-62), Japan (-58).
China's closest economic interdependence partners are Taiwan (88), Australia (86), Democratic Republic of the Congo (86).
China's closest economic policy partners are Cambodia (55), Pakistan (55), United Arab Emirates (54). Most adversarial economic policy relationships: United States (-60), Taiwan (-47), Lithuania (-43).
China’s Allies & Enemies
Closest Allies
Top Enemies
China's closest allies are Laos, Russia, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Tajikistan. China's most adversarial relationships are with Taiwan, Lithuania, United States, Kosovo, and Estonia.
Territories & Dependencies
Sub-national entities of China, scored separately from foreign relationships.
Global Relations
Diplomatic Profile
Seeking to rewrite the global order, the leadership expands its military power and deepens Russian ties to challenge American influence.
Key Interests
Under the tightening grip of President Xi Jinping, the People's Republic acts less like a patient participant in the global order and more like a determined architect of a new one. The Chinese Communist Party views American influence in Asia not merely as a nuisance but as an existential encirclement that must be broken. This drive explains the rapid naval buildup in the South China Sea and the aggressive diplomacy that has alienated neighbors from the Philippines to Japan. Yet, internal contradictions loom large. A staggering property crisis and demographic decline threaten the very economic engine that funds these ambitions. Externally, China has embraced Vladimir Putin’s Russia, seeing utility in a united front of authoritarians, while simultaneously courting developing nations with infrastructure loans and promises of non-interference. For President Xi, the ultimate historic mission remains Taiwan; erasing the island's self-rule is viewed as essential to national rejuvenation, making the Taiwan Strait the world's most volatile flashpoint.
Seeking to rewrite the global order, the leadership expands its military power and deepens Russian ties to challenge American influence.
Of 201 countries, China has 78 allies, 104 neutral relationships, and 19 enemies.
By Dimension
Military
China’s closest military partners are Pakistan, Russia, and North Korea. Most adversarial: Taiwan, Philippines, and United States.
Diplomatic
China’s closest diplomatic partners are Laos, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Most adversarial: Taiwan, Kosovo, and Lithuania.
Regime Relations
China’s closest regime relations partners are Laos, Pakistan, and Cuba. Most adversarial: Taiwan, Kosovo, and Lithuania.
Societal Relations
China’s closest societal relations partners are Laos, Pakistan, and Serbia. Most adversarial: Taiwan, Estonia, and Japan.
Economic Interdependence
China’s closest economic interdependence partners are Taiwan, Australia, and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Economic Policy
China’s closest economic policy partners are Cambodia, Pakistan, and United Arab Emirates. Most adversarial: United States, Taiwan, and Lithuania.
Key Questions
China's top allies are Laos, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Russia. The China-Pakistan relationship is notably deep: it scores very high on regime relations and strong on military cooperation, reflecting the 'all-weather strategic partnership' and decades of joint defense projects. Russia shows solid regime alignment, but the relationship is increasingly asymmetrical, with Moscow becoming the junior economic partner.
Taiwan is China's most adversarial relationship, driven by Beijing's view that reunification is essential to national rejuvenation. The military dimension is particularly tense — China has conducted repeated large-scale military exercises near the island. Taiwan, meanwhile, maintains strong ties with Japan across regime relations and societal dimensions, making the Taiwan Strait a tripwire that could draw in multiple powers.
Yes, but with important caveats. The China-Russia relationship is strong on military cooperation and diplomatic alignment — but below the near-total alignment of Russia-Belarus, which functions as essentially a joint military command. The societal dimension is weak, reflecting limited cultural affinity between the two populations. Beijing provides economic lifelines to Moscow but keeps the relationship transactional, avoiding the kind of binding mutual defense commitments that define NATO.
Very few countries score negatively with China overall — far fewer than Russia. But the large majority of the world falls in the neutral zone, meaning most countries hedge rather than align. China's positive relationships are concentrated in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and parts of Africa. The small but intense negative cluster includes Taiwan, Lithuania, the US, and Estonia.
Deeply adversarial. The China-India relationship is strongly negative across military, diplomatic, regime relations, and societal dimensions. The Himalayan border clashes transformed the relationship from wary coexistence to active rivalry. India has since pivoted toward the Quad (US, Japan, Australia) as a counterweight, while China has deepened its alliance with India's primary rival, Pakistan.
China's Southeast Asian relationships are a patchwork. Laos and Cambodia are close partners — both deeply integrated into Belt and Road infrastructure. Vietnam is more complex: regime relations are positive (both are communist states), but military tension is negative due to South China Sea disputes. The Philippines is overtly hostile on the military dimension, reflecting Manila's pivot toward the US alliance. Switch between dimensions on the map to see how China's regional influence shifts.
Lithuania ranks as one of China's most adversarial relationships — even more hostile than the United States. In recent years, Lithuania allowed Taiwan to open a representative office using the name 'Taiwan' rather than 'Chinese Taipei,' triggering a severe Chinese diplomatic and economic retaliation campaign. Beijing downgraded diplomatic relations and pressured EU companies to cut Lithuanian suppliers from their supply chains.