How China’s Multilateral Engagement Shapes Threat Perception Amid Rising Authoritarianism

Abstract

Despite increased contributions to key UN-affiliated intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) under Xi Jinping, American skepticism about its motives in global affairs persists. This paper examines this puzzle by exploring how China’s authoritarian image interacts with its multilateral engagement to shape public opinion. We argue that when China’s authoritarianism is primed, its IGO participation is perceived not as integration, but as a strategic effort to undermine the Liberal International Order, thus reinforcing its threat perceptions. Evidence from an original survey experiment supports this claim: American respondents exposed only to a report about China’s IGO contributions viewed it as less threatening, but this effect disappears when paired with a video clip on China’s authoritarianism. This finding provides insights into the microfoundation of the recently escalating US-China rivalry.