In 2013, in an effort to bind China’s neighbouring countries more closely to Beijing, Xi Jinping ordered his officials “to warm people’s hearts and enhance our affinity, charisma and influence”. But his plan has not gone smoothly.
The Economist’s Beijing bureau chief, David Rennie, and our Asia diplomatic editor, Jeremy Page, discuss why President Xi is finding it hard to win over China’s neighbours. Jeremy travels to Kazakhstan to hear why people are wary of China, despite increasingly close trade links.
Sign up to our weekly newsletter here and for full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/drumoffer.