The Role of Domestic Actors in China’s International Conflict Management

Authors: Bernardo Mariani, Monalisa Adhikari and Yiqi Zhou

China’s practices of addressing violent conflicts and security challenges have evolved to become more flexible, pragmatically driven, and varied across multilateral and regional contexts. This report examines the role of often overlooked actors operating outside the official foreign policy establishment — including think tanks, provincial authorities and state-owned enterprises — and their impact in shaping China’s engagement in international conflict management. The report outlines the implications of these findings for China’s international interlocutors and partners, and lists key findings and policy recommendations.

The Global Transitions Series looks at fragmentations in the global order and how these impact peace and transition settlements. It explores why and how different third-party actors – state, intergovernmental, and non-governmental – intervene in conflicts, and how they see themselves contributing to reduction of conflict and risks of conflict relapse. The series critically assesses the growth and diversification of global and regional responses to contemporary conflicts. It also asks how local actors are navigating this multiplicity of mediators and peacebuilders and how this is shaping conflict outcomes and post-conflict governance.