China’s Religious Diplomacy for Its Belt and Road Initiative

Author: Juyan Zhang

February 3, 2023

Authored by Dr. Juyan Zhang, professor of communication at the University of Texas San Antonio, this Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Diplomacy policy brief analyzes China’s religious diplomacy surrounding its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an interagency effort that serves multiple goals ranging from image cultivation to diplomatic engagement. Zhang reviews China’s diplomatic engagement with Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and Taoists before and after 2015. This brief concludes by assessing the factors that impact the effectiveness of China’s religious diplomacy.

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