Japan worries about shifting allegiances as Malaysia, Thailand seek Brics membership

“There will be a lot of concern about this in Tokyo,” said Go Ito, a professor of politics and international relations at Meiji University in the Japanese capital.

“Thailand has had pretty good relations with China for a while now and we must remember that outside the United States, Thailand is home to the largest number of Confucius Institutes anywhere in the world,” he told This Week in Asia.

The institutes, which are operated by the Chinese government and provide education and cultural programmes, have faced criticism over suggestions that they promote state propaganda.