Exploring the Strategic Implications of Good Neighbor Policy of the P.R.C. from Strategic Culture – the Case of ASEAN

• Main Authors: CHANG,TZU-CHIH, 張自治
• Other Authors: Tai, Cheng-Lung
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/39977691975753757122

碩士 === 國防大學 === 戰略研究所 === 97 === The purpose of social science is finding a regular pattern of certain situation. This regular pattern might be something that can be found again and again, or a fact that can be observed. The purpose of “good neighbor diplomacy” of the Peoples’ Republic of China (P.R.C.) is to maintain a stable relationship with its neighboring countries. Only in the stable regional environment, the P.R.C. can work actively toward the goal of developing a modern country and consolidating a steady authoritarian regime, which matches the regular pattern discovered from Chinese history. This study takes strategic culture as an entry point to examine the evolution of foreign relationship of P.R.C. by analyzing the development of tribute system of old China. Its purpose is to find out that if the leaders of the P.R.C. have followed the regular pattern discovered from history and particular preferences of strategic decision making, and furthermore, their considerations of decision making and strategic implications. There is a regular pattern in the overall context of Chinese history, which can be found by analyzing geo-environment, political regimes, Confucian culture and the development of agriculture economy. The decision makers of the P.R.C. not only inherited thousands years of development experiences and strategic thought, from which they have retrieved some experiences benefiting national governance and the development of foreign relations to build preferences in selecting strategies. The study has found that the good neighbor diplomacy of the P.R.C. has actually followed the traditional concept of national development which contains authoritarian regime, agriculture economy and Confucian culture. Then, the P.R.C. can further interact and create relation with foreign countries while respecting proper diplomatic protocol and international orders. The P.R.C. also uses economic interests as a measure of good neighbor diplomacy to create actively the diplomatic strategy with Chinese characteristics. Based on the above, the implication of China’s good neighbor diplomacy is the security based on the benefits of nation’s existence and development in order to consolidate its regime which is the first priority. The P.R.C. continues developing its economy and increasing its national power for seeking international recognition and agreement to its big power position. The final objective of the P.R.C. is to create an international order matching its own benefits. However, the behavior of the P.R.C. would threaten existing interests of its surrounding big powers and cause conflicts.