Rosemary Foot, Courtney J. Fung

China’s relationship with the United Nations has deepened since the end of the Cold War, exemplified by the country’s increased involvement in, and support for, UN initiatives and peacekeeping efforts. China is the second largest contributor to the United Nations budget and currently heads up four of the fifteen UN specialized agencies.

At the same time, the UN has undergone its own post-Cold War shift. It has increasingly promoted human protection, leading many to view it as key upholder of the ‘liberal world order’.

These two trends raise important questions about China’s role in the United Nations. The speakers will discuss the evolution of China’s relationship with the UN and assess what kind of challenge, if any, it poses to the liberal dimensions of global order. How has the United Nations influenced Beijing in adopting global norms? Is China attempting to shape the UN from within? And should we view China as a revisionist, reformist, or status quo power?