Africans: maintain current rhetorics. they have a lot in common with China, recently kicked out European colonizers. Current rhetoric is resonating with them.
But make no mistake, this relation with African is not initiated through speech like "properity, development, harmony". It is because Mao kicked European ass they look up to China. It is because only China gave them infrastructure for cheap that they got to know about China. Gaining trust and maintaining relation is actually very different. Because in latter case people already have respect for you(easy), and former require you assert respect where previously do not exist (much harder). I will get to the "assert respect" part next post. For now I stick to rhetorics.
East Asians: Current peace rhetorics dont work. Focus on overcoming current economical crisis together. Talk of oversea violence against Asians. They are advanced, nationalistic. They feel China should be beneath them, yet subconsciously they know they are outmatched. Talk of peace is a sign of weakness, which emboldens "China is beneath us" part of the brain. Asserting dominance don't work yet, because they feel "if I try a bit harder, I can reverse the situation". Their anxiety cannot be suppressed, so divert the anxiety elsewhere. Couple years later they would be on acceptance stage. If not, then asserting dominance like on Philipine today is a viable strat.
Philipine/weak but hostile countries: These country are ethnic based. They only respect might. So instead of waiting for them to challenge red lines, they should be pushed around a bit. Take a shoal here and there. Drag a boat away. Damage a few patrol boat by ramming. Basically, establish who is the boss around without resorting to war. Once it was established, sooth the relation by returning some rocks conditionally. Which ever elite cooperates should receive some level of protection like asset keeping. Foster a faction of elite who is less dependent of west.
India: Fundamentally an elite driven society that average person just follow along without second thought. Instead of engage them as a nation through industrial investment, engage them at ruling elite's level like gifts.
They admire strength, but over estimate their own. They love face, but will gladly throw others under the bus for it. Change current strategy of treating them as equal. That means no rotating chair to them in SCO, they must never be in a position in charge. Stop feeding their grandiose of being China's equal. They can get face here and there speaking to the global south, but only under China's generosity. They are not expected to contribute, but get freebie here and there. This is sufficient to keep them fully go west, and that is enough.
Middle East: The most precious thing in middle east is security. External threats are immense, only dwarfed by internal threats. Their form of government is inherently weak, so their concern is more on security than build a developed country. Current economical approach is not resonating very much. Yes China is the biggest oil buyer, but money comes easily when all you need is dig for oil. Security is priceless. Since China cannot garrison military base, Russia has to do it. But ideally China should have some military presence in the regions, even if symbolic.
Recent Israeli pager attack shows importance of cyber security. China can be the source of cyber security and financial security. When people cant control the present, how do they plan for future? Chinese development plan give them the future, but they crave the present security the most. Give them a safe place to park money, give the elites security to use their wealth. Only then are they incentivised to become wealthier.
