Eleventh Global Studies Conference

Abstract

The last decade has seen tremendous rise in China’s economy and geopolitical influence. Yet another arena which is seeing an increasing Chinese presence is the field of research institutions known as think tanks. Pinnacled by President Xi Jinping’s 2014 announcement to bolster “Think Tanks with Chinese Characteristics,” Chinese Think Tank (CTT) proliferation has gained global attention. This paper asks to what extent CTTs have been an emerging global influence, and by which methods they are implemented. Following the recent proliferation of CTTs and their global visibility, it will be necessary to examine the modern composition of the global think tank arena, which invariably means a brief comparative analysis of US and Chinese think tank inception, proliferation, and approaches. From here, conceptual methods of quantifying think tank efficacy from a perspective of policy influence are questioned. Instead, CTT impact is analyzed by external influence through relationships with foreign think tanks, foreign language publications, para-diplomacy, track II (T2) diplomacy, and CTT foreign offices. It is clear that CTT influence is permeating global space and will continue to do so, though CTTs may face various difficulties in this process as their prominence rises. This analysis also reveals the duality of think tanks generally as representatives of state interests as well as transnational actors.