With strained ties between China and the United States, does sub-national diplomacy still play a role in promoting one of the world's most important and complex bilateral relationships? Some Chinese citizens have claimed that such diplomatic activities are more politically symbolic, as local authorities in China have bounded autonomy. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Sub-national Diplomacy Unit was established during the Biden administration, aiming to facilitate local governments' engagement in foreign affairs. On October 11, 2024, the China International Friendship Conference and events celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) took place in Beijing, where President Xi Jinping emphasized the positive role of enterprises, institutions, and individuals in developing friendly exchanges between China and the rest of the world.
Over the last 45 years of normalized ties between China and the U.S., we’ve seen varying types of sub-national diplomacy, but perhaps the most prevalent has been international friendship ties or twinning arrangements between provinces/cities, known as sister/brother dyads. According to CPAFFC, there have been 287 sister dyads between the two countries as of October 2024, outnumbering that between China and Russia with 167 pairs. It is quite paradoxical to see the enduring performance of China-U.S. sub-national government linkages amid the ups and downs of bilateral relations.
Beyond local government-to-government ties, sub-national diplomacy also includes exchanges between institutes, communities, and individuals. In the case of China-U.S. relations, this occurred even earlier than 1979, with the People-to-People Program put forth by President Eisenhower in 1956. Later, in the early 1970s, ping-pong diplomacy became the first public sign of rapprochement between Beijing and Washington. Fast forward to the present, and more than 140 Chinese provincial government officials and business figures joined the 6th U.S.-China Sister Cities Summit in Tacoma last year.
Admittedly, sub-national diplomacy in action can also trigger controversies both in China and the U.S., leading to the suspension or cancellation of sisterhood ties. Yaling Pan from Fudan University noted that the China International Friendly City Federation decided to cancel 40 sister-city ties in 2015, among which were nine China-U.S. dyads. This was mainly due to their ineffective interactions and inactive status. In the U.S., on the other hand, security issues have been cited in suspensions. Indiana 3rd District Representative Jim Banks called for a ban on sister-city agreements with so-called "foreign adversaries," including China, under the notion that the Communist Party of China (CPC) aimed to "get a foothold," rather than assist the state. Last year, the U.S. Sister City Transparency Act, which took note of the supposed economic and security risks of sisterhood partnerships, was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Local authorities, organizations, companies, and individuals all play important roles in sub-national diplomacy, often serving as critical but understated players in fostering international connections. While their efforts typically focus on "low politics" areas such as cultural exchanges and educational collaborations, these actors often act as antechambers to national-level diplomacy, paving the way for larger, more formal engagements or conveying messages to governments. A notable example is the 5th China-U.S. Sub-national Legislatures Cooperation Forum, which has been hailed as a significant milestone. This forum marked the first institutional exchange and cooperation activity to resume following President Biden’s inauguration, highlighting the potential of sub-national initiatives to rebuild bridges during times of geopolitical tension.
Overly emphasizing suspicion, much of it unfounded, can lead to the underappreciation of sub-national diplomacy’s role in global relations and ability to achieve progress. Recent cases have shown the ambitious efforts and achievements of local governments from both countries, often exceeding expectations. One Chinese official suggested that local governments are more likely to establish ties with counterparts that share similar industries or face comparable challenges. We see this surrounding climate change efforts, where California has maintained productive and consistent dialogue with relevant Chinese Ministries and counterparts.
At the 2023 Great Wall Climate Dialogue, California Governor Gavin Newsom engaged in meaningful discussions with leaders from Hainan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Jiangsu, and Inner Mongolia. He also formalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau to advance climate collaboration. Similarly, at the U.S.-China High-Level Event on Sub-national Climate Action in May 2024, Hong Kong emphasized the importance of deeper climate cooperation between the Greater Bay Area and the California Bay Area.
On the economic front, more than 150 top business leaders and trade officials from Chinese provinces participated in the 2024 China-California Business Forum, aiming to strengthen sub-national economic ties. Meanwhile, Michigan has also demonstrated the potential of sub-national diplomacy, with former Governor Rick Snyder leading eight trade missions to China. These efforts attracted $1.2 billion in investments and created over 6,300 jobs in his home state. Collectively, these examples underscore the immense opportunities that sub-national diplomacy holds for fostering collaboration across climate, economic, and cultural spheres.
In a nutshell, China-U.S. sub-national diplomacy serves as an alternative channel from formal diplomatic ties between governments. Author, advisor and businessman Dr. Parag Khana portrays the world today as a tug-of-war. With the likelihood of large-scale war between superpowers diminishing, regional conflicts and cooperation among actors at various levels are shaping a complex and interconnected world order. With this, superpowers need sub-national diplomacy more than ever, and it could play an essential role amid times of heightened tensions.
However, this path is not without obstacles. Rising national security concerns in the U.S. and differing development priorities in China pose significant challenges to sub-national diplomacy. To sustain progress, local governments and organizations on both sides must remain transparent, build trust through tangible results, and focus on areas of mutual interest like climate change, public health, and education.
(This commentary is partly based on the author's fieldwork in Beijing and Chongqing in 2023.)
