China Outplays Taiwan in Cricket Diplomacy

David Jessop of the U.K.-based Caribbean Council has argued that Beijing seems to be trying to forge a new alliance with developing countries. Says Sung, "This is not surprising. Mainland China's long-term strategy coincides with its foreign policy."

One view is that China, concerned at increasing international criticism about its human rights and trade policies, is seeking a "Sino bloc" of friendly votes at the United Nations and other multilateral fora.

U.N.-based diplomats note that China has been focusing increasingly on small countries in the Pacific, Africa and the Caribbean, which are susceptible to aid and other incentives. Says Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, "The Chinese take the U.N. very seriously."

China has other plans regarding cricket: Beijing has set a target of having a Chinese national team qualify for the 2019 World Cup.

The Chinese Cricket Association, an affiliate of the International Cricket Council, already has cricket academies in place and is on track to have 20,000 players and 2,000 coaches by 2015.

Cricket is virtually unknown in Taiwan. Taiwanese diplomats in St. Kitts are apologetic, "We only play baseball in Taiwan."

Pramit Pal Chaudhuri is a Bernard Schwartz Fellow at the Asia Society.

Pramit Pal Chaudhuri is a Bernard Schwartz Fellow at the Asia Society.