China has huge potential to impact the plight of forcibly displaced people around the world. The country is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the second largest funder of the UN, and an active contributor on thematic issues such as economic development, humanitarian aid and UN peacekeeping operations. As a result, China’s international footprint cannot go unnoticed.
Yet, within a growing body of literature on China’s overseas humanitarian action, the country’s approach to displacement crises remains under-analysed. This paper aims to help fill the gap, and build on analysis by scholars in the field such as Dr Lili Song and Dr Miwa Hirono.
This research paper presents a desk review and primary source analysis that draw from the Chinese government’s funding, partnerships, public statements and diplomatic engagement on refugee issues – with a focus on developments from the 2016 UN Summit for Refugees and Migrants through to the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis also considers a broad range of Chinese actors, such as provincial governments, civil society organizations (CSOs) and private companies.
China’s overseas assistance to refugees has increased steadily – albeit moderately – in a number of areas, which is consistent with the overall uptick in Chinese involvement in the UN system over the last decade.
To situate Chinese engagement within the trends of the Asia-Pacific region, the analysis compares Chinese humanitarian policies to those of other regional players, Japan and India. Japan’s leadership as a top donor country in the international humanitarian system and India’s history of hosting displaced people provide a regional lens to contextualize perceptions and expectations of Chinese activities within the international humanitarian sector. The focus on regional comparisons brings refugee relief into wider debates around the Chinese government’s approach to global governance and its role within the UN system.
The research also draws from semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, conducted remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, between June 2021 and January 2022. Interviewees included representatives from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in China, Japan and India, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the European Union (EU) Delegation to China, Mercy Corps in China, the Chinese Red Cross Foundation, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), as well as regional academic and policy experts. No Chinese government-affiliated officials were interviewed as part of this study, which is an area for further research and engagement on the topic. Future research would also greatly benefit from the perspectives of aid-receiving countries and local actors partnering with Chinese organizations.
China’s overseas assistance to refugees has increased steadily – albeit moderately – in a number of areas, which is consistent with the overall uptick in Chinese involvement in the UN system over the last decade. Chinese organizations have the capacity to utilize domestic experience and technical expertise to improve humanitarian responses – from public health to disaster relief. China’s growing humanitarian partnerships within the UN system must be carefully negotiated to reflect the interests of all parties, but structural and political obstacles can stifle cooperation between international and Chinese partners. A key challenge for Chinese actors is how to translate high-level commitments into tangible outcomes and sustainable partnerships, within a transparent and robust framework for overseas humanitarian action. It is important not to overestimate Chinese engagement on refugee relief: the issue area remains sensitive within Chinese society, and China’s approach to humanitarianism and its related institutions is evolving.
