China Edges Out US With Most Overseas Diplomatic Posts, But Tensions Remain
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China has 274 overseas diplomatic posts, narrowly beating the US at 271 posts, according to the new Lowy Institute Global Diplomacy Index.
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China leads in Africa, East Asia, Pacific, and Central Asia; the US leads in Europe, Americas. They are tied in the Middle East and South America.
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Expanding China's diplomatic influence is a key priority under President Xi Jinping to increase China's global power.
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However, tensions remain high with the US over issues like Taiwan. China continues trying to isolate Taiwan diplomatically.
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China first overtook the US in number of diplomatic posts in 2019. The gap has narrowed in 2023 as both countries' networks have largely plateaued.