A new study that measures Beijing’s expanding global influence across the world has revealed that it is Pakistan that is most influenced by China, reported Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
A Taiwan-based research organisation DoubleThink Labs relaunched a database on December 8, ranked Pakistan on number 1 in a list comprising a total of 82 nations in the world saying that its dependency on China vis-a-vis foreign and domestic policy, technology, and the economy has made it susceptible to Chinese influence.
According to the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) report, Cambodia and Singapore are ranked at second position while Thailand is positioned at third place. The Philippines is pegged at the seventh spot while Malaysia is at the 10th position. South Africa and Peru are placed fifth in the list.
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As per the report, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are pegged at the eighth and ninth position on the index. Both the nations, sharing a border with China’s Xinjiang areas, are central Asian countries that are swayed by Beijing.
Germany is the top-ranked country at 19th position while the United States leading North America placed at 21st position. The report claims that a research team categorised nine areas to monitor the influence that includes higher education, domestic politics, economic ties, foreign policy, military cooperation, technology, and cultural links.
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The database was made to spread awareness about the different facets of China’s influence, said Co-founder and CEO Doublethink Labs Min Hsuan-Wu while speaking to RFE/RL. WU underlined that the system will help understand levers of Chinese sway, especially around economics and trade.
