Aid or Support for Authoritarianism? How Japan's Assistance to the CCP State was Used as a Tool by the CCP to Consolidate Its Power

Sep 22, 2024

Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the CCP State began in 1979 and lasted until 2018, becoming an important link in Sino-Japanese relations. Japan’s aid to the CCP State not only promoted infrastructure construction and economic development in the CCP State but also laid the foundation for economic and technological cooperation between the two countries. However, despite the positive effects this aid had on the CCP State’s economic construction, it also brought about significant negative impacts.

The Positive Role of Japan’s Aid

First, Japan’s aid played a huge role in the CCP State’s economic development, especially in areas like infrastructure, environmental protection, and technology transfer. For example, Japan’s ODA funded the expansion of Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport, which became major international aviation hubs and supported the CCP State’s globalization process. Additionally, transportation projects such as the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge greatly improved the CCP State’s infrastructure, making intercity transport more convenient and promoting regional economic balance.

Japan’s environmental aid should not be overlooked either. Cooperation between the CCP State and Japan in building air pollution monitoring systems has helped the CCP State make significant progress in environmental protection. The aid brought not only funds and equipment but also promoted technology transfer and talent development, all contributing to the CCP State’s sustainable development.

Moreover, Japan’s ODA also helped improve the CCP State’s healthcare services, such as through the construction of the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital, which played an important role in enhancing Beijing’s medical conditions. Japan’s technical cooperation projects also trained a large number of professionals in the CCP State, boosting the CCP State’s technical capacity and management skills.

Negative Impact: Aid Framed as a CCP Success Story

Japan’s aid has often been used by the CCP regime for propaganda, becoming a tool to help the regime legitimize its rule.

1. Downplaying External Aid, Enhancing the Legitimacy of the CCP

After receiving Japanese aid, the CCP government typically uses its propaganda machine to portray these achievements as a result of the CCP’s leadership in economic development while downplaying Japan’s contribution. For example, after the completion of projects like Beijing Capital International Airport and Shanghai Pudong International Airport, the government’s propaganda mainly emphasized the success of the CCP State’s reform and opening-up policies, without widely acknowledging Japan’s aid. As a result, the public often assumes that these achievements are solely due to the CCP’s policies, which not only raises the government’s prestige among the people but also allows the CCP to claim the benefits of foreign aid as its own political achievements.

By leveraging the results of external aid, the CCP strengthens the legitimacy of its rule. In the CCP State’s political system, the legitimacy of the regime is often tied to economic development and national achievements. Japanese aid has significantly accelerated the CCP State’s economic development, but these achievements have been used by the CCP as proof of the correctness of its policies. Infrastructure projects, environmental improvements, and poverty alleviation efforts have all been framed as CCP successes rather than outcomes of external assistance. This propaganda strengthens public recognition of the CCP’s governing capacity, thereby prolonging the legitimacy of its authoritarian regime.

2. Aid Used as a Symbol of the CCP State’s Strength in Propaganda

In external propaganda, the CCP often presents major infrastructure projects and economic successes as symbols of national strength, while Japan’s aid is downplayed in this narrative. For example, projects like the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge and the Beijing-Qinhuangdao Railway are touted as evidence of the CCP State’s industrial capabilities, with the public rarely realizing that these achievements were made possible by Japanese aid. Instead, these projects are used to showcase the CCP State’s “self-reliance” under the leadership of the CCP.

Negative Effects on Donor Countries

These propaganda effects not only solidify the legitimacy of the CCP’s regime domestically but also bolster the CCP State’s image of strength on the international stage. For countries like Japan, this may have led to unintended negative consequences.

Firstly, Japan’s aid was intended to foster friendly relations and help the CCP State improve its economic and social conditions. However, when the CCP claims these achievements as its own successes rather than cooperative results, and when it projects a strong national image internationally, the donor country may feel that the aid’s ultimate outcome has deviated from its original purpose.

Secondly, this propaganda strategy may negatively affect public opinion within the donor country. As the CCP uses foreign aid to reinforce its authoritarian rule and project a powerful stance on the global stage, the public in donor countries may begin to question whether the aid has truly achieved its intended goals, especially when such aid is used to bolster an authoritarian regime.

Conclusion

Japan’s aid to the CCP State has undeniably contributed greatly to the modernization process of the CCP State. These efforts have improved the CCP State’s infrastructure and boosted its environmental, healthcare, and technological capabilities. However, this aid has also been cleverly used by the CCP government as a tool to extend the legitimacy of its rule, turning external aid results into a propaganda victory for CCP policies. This dual effect means that while international aid can drive economic development, it can also have unintended political consequences. For Japan and other donor countries, future foreign aid should consider how to prevent such assistance from being used to strengthen authoritarian regimes.