Flawed by Design: The Challenge of Flawed Democracies to China's Rise

Abstract

This chapter argues that incidents where recipient states have attempt to assert greater influence share a common characteristic – democracy. It focuses on South and Southeast Asian states that fit the definition of flawed democracy or hybrid regime, are Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) beneficiaries, and had an election in 2017 or 2018 that produced a change of key political leadership, whether that is the head of government or head of state under the local constitution. China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) marked the addition of a large economic component to a pre-existing, strong security and political relationship, which remains a stabilizing guarantee in the bilateral relationship. Pakistan has been one the largest beneficiaries of Chinese investment under the BRI, with about $21 billion in projects achieving a financial close under the CPEC between 2014 and early 2019 and tens of billions of dollars’ worth of additional projects under discussion.