STUDY GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ORDER CHINA’S EXPANDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PILLAR The Selective Long-term Approach of a Programme Country Superpower Max-Otto Baumann, Sebastian Haug and Silke Weinlich November 2022 China has become an increas­ingly visible player in UN devel­opment work. In light of the financial and political resources at its disposal, however, China’s engagement has largely re­mained moderate and selective. China is taking an increasingly assertive and long-term ap­proach towards changing some of the traditional contours of UN development work, with the Global Development Initiative as the most recent example. Contrary to Western Member States, China can capitalise on the combination of its roles as a superpower and a UN pro­gramme country to expand ties with the UN, notably through South-South cooperation.