China shifts to 'home-court' diplomacy as foreign leaders flock to Beijing

China’s diplomatic strategy has undergone a conspicuous shift, with Beijing conducting far fewer overseas state visits, opting instead to welcome a steady stream of foreign leaders to the capital. According to data compiled by the South China Morning Post, Beijing is placing greater emphasis on neighbourhood diplomacy and engagement with European middle powers. The changing dynamic reflects Beijing’s shift towards favouring high-level multilateralism, in a sign of growing confidence and an increasingly normalised “home-court” model of diplomacy, according to observers. The shift also highlighted the changes in Washington’s policies and US President Donald Trump’s approach to diplomacy as factors that prompted its allies to recalibrate their relationship with China, analysts said. While the Chinese leadership’s frequency of overseas travel has moderated significantly compared with the pre-pandemic era, inbound diplomacy has rebounded vigorously. President Xi Jinping hosted an average of 48 foreign leaders per year from 2013 to 2018, and at least 44 annually over the past three years as face-to-face meetings resumed after Covid-19 restrictions eased.