Chinese Anger Diplomacy

The ANGER project explores the dynamics between democracies and autocracies, with a specific focus on how liberal democracies respond to public criticism from China. Through an analysis of China’s “anger diplomacy”, a practice where Chinese diplomats, bureaucrats, or state media express anger towards other nations and non-state actors, the project examines how China uses emotional outbursts as part of its international strategy. The project theorizes the interaction between democracies and autocracies in international politics, with special emphasis on emotional outbursts and their influence. It categorizes events where China has expressed anger, conducts detailed studies of selected episodes, and compares the observations. The goal is to systematically describe China’s use of anger diplomacy, analyze the response of various actors, and evaluate the impact of such diplomacy on China’s international influence. The project team, which also includes a doctoral fellow and international partners, has already highlighted China’s relations with countries such as Norway and Denmark, and the country’s influence in Central Asia. Through public presentations, workshops, and upcoming publications, such as books and articles, the project will cover a wide range of cases both geographically (for example, the United Kingdom and Japan) and modally (for example, how autocratic diplomacy increasingly challenges democracies, even within areas such as global sports, media, and education), to provide a deeper understanding of emotional outbursts and anger in international politics, especially in the relationship between democracies and autocracies.

Do liberal-democratic states yield to public criticism by China? ANGER approaches this question by focusing on China's use of "anger diplomacy" - public, vehement displays at the state level in response to a perceived offense. Drawing on the literature of emotions in international relations, ANGER will explain when and how such diplomacy may boost or undercut China's international influence. With a strong team combining area-expertise with theoretical innovation, the project will systematically map episodes of Chinese anger, and conduct comparative analysis of the effects of Chinese anger diplomacy directed against state and non-state actors. By assessing how state-society relations may explain variation in responses and effects of such diplomacy, ANGER seeks to identify causal mechanisms at work. The project will further contribute to broader debates about hegemony, power-political competition, and the rise of China.