China’s pursuit of geopolitical influence through patronage transfers such as the BRI has generated significant academic and policy interest. Geopolitics and China’s Patronage Strategy explains China¡¦s patronage strategy using two themes: the limited resources of a great-power patron and the agency of client countries in patron-client relations. In an effective patron-client relationship, the patron must agree to give, but the client also must agree to accept. The book highlights how neighboring countries’ domestic politics play a role in accepting a patron’s patronage, impacting their willingness to exchange geopolitical allegiances for patronage benefits and the costs involved in patronage transfers. Since China does not have complete control over the domestic politics of peripheral countries, the costs and uncertainty of patronage transfers influence Beijing’s decisions. The book debunks the myths construed by China’s rhetoric of benevolence or the West¡¦s accusations of reckless acquisition. Instead, the agency of neighboring regimes and the resource constraints amid geopolitical competition incentivize Beijing to be a wary patron in its periphery!
