China’s Military Diplomacy in the New Era

Defence affairs analysis

Military diplomacy – including senior-level visits, port calls, and joint exercises – has become a vital tool of Chinese statecraft.

As the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has modernized into a more capable global force.

It has significantly expanded its international military engagement in support of China’s foreign policy objectives. Drawing on a new National Defense University monograph and updated database, this analysis examines trends in PLA military diplomacy from 2002 to 2024, focusing on three key activities: senior-level visits, naval port calls, and joint exercises. 

The PLA has historically been inward-facing. Even after China’s post-1978 opening, PLA foreign engagements remained limited, highly scripted, and more symbolic than substantive – shaped by an organizational culture of secrecy. Today, however, military diplomacy has become a vital tool of Chinese statecraft. It serves both strategic and operational aims: shaping the international environment in Beijing’s favor, laying groundwork for future overseas access, and enabling intelligence gathering and operational learning from foreign militaries. 

PLA military diplomatic interactions from 2002-2024. PLA military engagement grew steadily from 2002 to 2008, then plateaued from 2009 to 2019 before dropping sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the PLA conducted only 26 percent of the military-diplomatic activities it had in 2019. Activity has rebounded, but has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

A notable shift occurred around 2009 with the rise of port calls and joint exercises, even as senior-level visits remained the most frequent form of engagement. Interactions peaked in 2010 and 2015 but declined afterward – likely due to Xi Jinping’s sweeping 2016 military reforms, which prioritized internal modernization over outward engagement.