Diplomacy by the numbers: China is ahead of the US in East Asia – does it matter?

(FILES) US President Joe Biden (R) and China's President Xi Jinping (L) meet on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Nusa Dua on the Indonesian resort island of Bali on November 14, 2022. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in San Francisco on November 14, 2023, a day ahead of his highly anticipated meeting with American counterpart Joe Biden. Xi last traveled to the United States six years ago, and is due for lengthy talks with Biden in their first in-person meeting in a year. The two presidents are meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit as both countries seek to stabilize ties. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and US President Joe Biden meeting on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Bali, on Nov 14, 2022.

PHOTO: AFP

Bhagyashree Garekar

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CALHOUN (Georgia) – China has a larger diplomatic footprint than the United States in East Asia but it is debatable if it has stolen a march on the Western nation as well.

A new report shows that China has a significant advantage over the US in having the largest number of diplomatic posts in East Asia, as both nations compete to project influence in a region the US views as an essential part of its Indo-Pacific strategy.

Diplomacy by the numbers: China is ahead of the US in East Asia – does it matter?

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