A Comparative Study of the Role of Economic Aid in the Foreign Policy of the United States and China

Document Type : Research

Author

Assistant Professor of International Relations, Dept. of Political Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Ayatollah Borujerdi University, Borujerd, Iran.

Abstract

In recent decades, the role of economic instruments, including economic aid, has been growing in the foreign policy of major powers. In the post-World War II era, the United States became the largest donor of economic aid, and in order to prevent the spread of communism, it gave economic aid to many countries in different regions of the world. Although, the United States has a long history of providing economic aid to other countries, China is also becoming a major donor in recent years. China tries to promote its status as a major power in granting economic aid. The comparative study of the economic aid policy of China and the United States is significant because these two countries play an important role in the international. In this regard, the main question of this research is what are the differences and similarities between the economic aid policy of China and the United States? The findings of the comparison of the economic aid of China and the United States showed that despite the differences in the methods and structures of aid, China and the United States both use the economic aid to grow their influence and achieve their economic, political and geopolitical goals in the regions. However, the US economic aid policy is more transparent than China in terms of the aid granting mechanism. Also, China legitimizes these aids by using the concepts of aid to the global south, while the economic aid of the United States legitimizes it by using concepts such as supporting market-oriented economies, helping democratic governance, and protecting human rights. The method of data collection is secondary sources – the library sources - and the method of the data analysis is comparative.

Keywords

Main Subjects


 
References
Aidoo, R. & Hess, S. (2015), “Non-Interference: China’s Evolving Foreign Policy towards a Changing Africa”, Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 44 (1) 107–39.
Ballam, D. & Veseth, M. (2021), An Introduction to International Political Economy, Translator: Abdolmajid Seifi, Tehran: Ghoomes (In Persian).
Besada, H. & Kindornay, Sh. (2013), Multilateral Development Cooperation in a Changing Global Order, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Cheng, Ch. (2019), “The Logic Behind China’s Foreign Aid Agency, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace”, https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/05/21/logic-behind-china-s-foreign-aid-agency-pub-79154
Davies, P. (2007), China and the End of Poverty in Africa—Towards Mutual Benefit?, Stockholm: Diakonia
He, W. (2010), China’s Aid to Africa: Views on Chinese Aid and Trade in Africa. In Jack Sorensen (ed). Challenging the Aid Paradigm: Western Currents and Asian Alternatives, London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Landman, T. (2008), Issues and Methods in Comparative Politics: An Introduction, London: Rutledge.
Lee, J. (2022), “Foreign Aid, Development, and US Strategic Interests in the Cold War Get access Arrow”, International Studies Quarterly, 66 (1), https://doi.org/10.1093/isq/sqab090.
Mirtorabi, S. & Sariaslani, M. (2021), “China's Political Economy and the Rapid Increase of its Foreign Aid to Africa”, Political Strategic Research, 9 (35), 251-281 (In Persian).
Morgenstern, E. & Brown, N. (2022), “Foreign Assistance: An Introduction to U.S.”, Congressional Research Report, https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/R40213.pdf
Nascimbene, B. & Di Pascale, A. (2018), The Modernisation of State Aid for Economic and Social Development, New York: Springer
Reglime, S. S. & Hodzi, O. (2021), “Comparing US and Chinese Foreign Aid in the Era of Rising Powers”, The International Spectator, 56 (2), 114-131.
Saei, A. & Seifi, A. (2016). Political Economy of Underdevelopment, Tehran: Ghoomes (In Persian).
Shafiee, N. (2022), Debt Trap Diplomacy and China's Ambition for Hegemony, The Iranian Researh letter in International Politics, 11 (1), 1-21. (In Persian).
Telias D. & Francisco U. (2022), “China’s Foreign Aid Political Drivers: Lessons from a Novel Dataset of Mask Diplomacy in Latin America during the COVID-19 Pandemic”, Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 51 (1), 108-136.
Wilson, P. (2002), Role of Economic Factors in International Relations, London: Rutledge.
Zhang, D. (2020), A Cautious New Approach: China’s Growing Trilateral Aid Cooperation, Canberra: Australia National University.