China Exhibits Diplomatic Warmth at Asian Games Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions

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A month prior to the commencement of the Asian Games, China unveiled a revised national map, reinforcing its territorial claims over nearly the entire South China Sea as well as disputed regions with India.

Just days before the sporting event, China escalated its routine military activities near Taiwan by flying over 100 warplanes in the direction of the self-governed democratic island, which Beijing considers to be a part of its territory.

During the Asian Games, however, China shifted its approach from overt assertiveness to calculated diplomacy, aiming to captivate representatives from more than 40 Asian nations and territories with technological marvels and effusive compliments.

In a public appearance in Hangzhou, a city that saw billions of dollars in investments for the fortnight-long games, Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted an opening banquet on Saturday to welcome attending dignitaries.

In his prepared speech, Xi Jinping declared, “The Asian Games represent the collective aspiration of the people of Asia for peace, unity, and inclusivity.” Notably absent were references to the geopolitical tensions with Taiwan, the ongoing disputes in the South China Sea involving multiple Asian nations participating in the games, or the contested border regions with India that had previously led to military clashes.

No comments were made about a recent diplomatic disagreement with India that unfolded just a day before the opening ceremony. China’s refusal to alter its visa policy for Indian athletes from a disputed territory resulted in three female wushu competitors being barred from the games.

Despite competing under the name “Chinese Taipei” and without their national flag due to China’s claims over the island, Taiwanese athletes received one of the most enthusiastic responses during the opening ceremony.

Promotional materials around Hangzhou depicted the city as a “heaven on earth,” while China adopted the slogan “heart to heart” for the games, which boasts approximately 12,000 athletes—more than the summer Olympics—from across Asia and the Middle East.

An exuberant editorial in the Chinese Communist Party’s official publication, People’s Daily, praised the games for paving the way for “cultural exchanges, cultural integration, and people-to-people connections in Asia,” and adding considerable “cultural strength to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.”

State-run China Daily’s special edition on the games featured headlines such as “Xi Extends Hand of Friendship” and “Wave of Glory,” accompanied by a photograph of the Chinese President greeting the crowds.

During Saturday’s banquet, Xi Jinping emphasized that the region’s recent economic surge represented an “Asian miracle” and advocated for making Asia a “pillar of global peace.”

However, even amid this diplomatic cordiality at Hangzhou, China continued to assert its military presence in other areas. Taiwanese authorities reported military exercises involving air, sea, and land forces in China’s coastal Fujian Province opposite Taiwan.

Additionally, the Philippine coast guard reported that China had erected a barrier to obstruct Filipino fishing boats from entering a lagoon in a disputed South China Sea shoal. After the Philippines removed the barrier, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin reiterated China’s “unwavering resolve to defend its sovereignty and maritime rights,” cautioning the Philippines against “provocations.”

While Xi Jinping refrained from discussing territorial disputes or international confrontations during the banquet, his speech was subtly infused with geopolitical undertones. He urged the use of sports to “promote peace, mutual benefit, and reject the Cold War mindset and factional conflict,” language often used by China to critique U.S. strategies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Xi concluded by stating that in the face of “unprecedented global challenges,” sports could serve as a platform to “foster unity, seize historic opportunities, and collectively confront challenges.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about China’s Diplomacy at Asian Games

More about China’s Diplomacy at Asian Games

• Asian Games Official Site
• South China Sea Dispute Explained
• Taiwan-China Relations
• China-India Border Dispute
• Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Daily
• China Daily News
• China’s Military Activities Near Taiwan
• Philippine Coast Guard Report