19 hours ago2 min read

Influence Operations Workshop Paper: The Digital Silk Road: China’s Influence of Public Opinion in South Asia; By Aabha Shouche

Edited by Mr. N C Bipindra, Chairman and Founding Trustee, Law & Society Alliance.

Image Courtesy: Mercator Institute of China Studies

Abstract

Information is a weapon whose wielders stand to gain immense power. This is most apparent on the international stage, as states jostle each other for influence through information. China, as one of the most rapidly-rising states, is central to the information game. It shares land borders with four of seven South Asian states (Malik, 2010). Hence the influence of China on public opinion, and public opinion of China itself, are important strategic considerations for South Asian states. Chinese authorities influence public opinion here by frequently misreporting information and dismissing criticism – COVID-19 being a great example. China’s rapid growth and rising global status are instrumental in South Asian states’ views towards it as a neighbour (Noughton, 2010). Conversely, China’s rising status makes it a lucrative partner for international collaborations. Key infrastructure projects, like Hambantota Port and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), are being developed through Chinese assistance – allegedly built on unreliable information and promises. Nonetheless, China’s role causes public opinion of China to be overwhelmingly positive in collaborator states – a survey revealed most Pakistanis consider China a ‘trusted ally’ (Kironska & Garlick, 2022). Public opinion of China in India differs: two-thirds of the population harbour negative views of China (Silver et al., 2023).

Information and perception drive states’ standing. For China and South Asia, influence on public opinion, not just of world leaders but the general public, are key to maintaining sway for both. This paper aims to analyse information as a tool of influence for China in South Asia. It will also study the role of China’s expansive policy projects – Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), etc., and the perceptions these have garnered around China in South Asia. The politics of information in South Asia extend beyond mere perceptions, and affect a state’s foreign policy, as this paper attempts to decipher.