The Socio-Cultural Footprint of ‘Stadium Diplomacy’: China's Infrastructure Projects and National Identity in Belarus

Abstract

This paper examines China's "stadium diplomacy" in Belarus as a tool of soft power with significant socio-cultural and public policy implications. Moving beyond a purely geopolitical analysis, this study investigates how the Chinese-funded construction of a National Football Stadium and an international swimming pool in Minsk intersects with Belarus's domestic politics and evolving national identity. Using a qualitative single-case study design, the research analyzes official documents, state media narratives, and independent news reports to explore how these large-scale infrastructure projects are framed for public consumption. The findings reveal that these "gifts" are leveraged by the Belarusian government to project an image of stability and successful international partnership, thereby reinforcing domestic legitimacy amidst political isolation. Concurrently, they serve China’s nation-branding strategy, embedding symbols of its technological prowess and goodwill into the urban landscape of a European capital. The study concludes that stadium diplomacy in Belarus functions as a complex socio-political phenomenon, shaping urban development, influencing public perception, and contributing to the reorientation of Belarusian national identity towards non-Western alliances.