La diplomazia minjian 民间 della Repubblica popolare cinese: peculiarità e sviluppo storico

Among the tools employed by the People’s Republic of China in managing international relations is a form of diplomacy known as minjian 民间, a term that can be translated as “people-to-people”. This term has consistently referred to a diverse array of institutions and initiatives that operate outside the conventional framework of official diplomatic channels. This essay aims to analyze how this type of minjian diplomacy originated, evolved, and adapted according to Beijing’s changing foreign policy needs and the transformations in the international context. The breadth of initiatives that could be carried out through minjian modalities, and their capacity to adapt to different political circumstances have enabled a continuous reconfiguration of the minjian diplomacy that continues to this day.