Probe into China''s Diplomatic Strategy to Deal with ASEAN from the Viewpoint of "New Security Concept"

• Main Authors: Shy-Wei Kao, 高四維
• Other Authors: Chun-shan Chao
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/03212082915526709958

碩士 === 淡江大學 === 中國大陸研究所碩士在職專班 === 97 === China has vigorously realized its national strategic goal of open and reform－to enhance national strength with money－since the beginning of the reform and opening up in 1978. China has turned its economic power into national strength in the process of rapid economic growth. After the end of the cold war, the world situation has been dominated by economic development instead of military confrontation and the “new security concept” has been formed. Following the principle of“going from the near to the distant and starting from the easy to the difficult” and adopting a national strategy based on concept of “friendliness being conducive to business success,” China has implemented “good-neighborly diplomacy” in neighboring countries, especially in Southeast Asia, and created a favorable and peaceful environment for business. Beijing intended to confront a policy of containment imposed by the US and Japan and enhanced its capacity of comprehensive security by attracting small and medium ASEAN member countries as a big economic magnet and making the most of advantages it gained from the agreement of “China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.” To maintain bilateral relationship with ASEAN countries, China has strengthened its diplomatic relations with them by implementing economic and political exchanges in accordance with “new security concept.” Furthemore, China has played a leading role in the development of various fields by pushing ahead cooperative projects in the region, such as China-ASEAN (10+1) Free Trade Area, security cooperation, business development and energy exploitation, as well as increasing others’ economic dependence on Beijing. As a result, Beijing has achieved success in its ASEAN diplomacy. Politically, China has closer ties with countries of the Southeast Asia through building partnership with various parties and participating bilateral or multilateral meetings. China was the first nation to sign “Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity” in 2003. Economically, the implementation of “China-ASEAN Free Trade Area” in 2010 will create the world’s biggest free trade area with a population of about 17 billion. An Asian version of Monroe Doctrine led by China has gradually been formed and edged out the presence of the US and Japan in the region when China established umbilical connections with ASEAN nations by developing “economic community.” In terms of security interests, China settled most of territorial disputes with neighboring countries by promoting “new security concept “and implementing “good-neighborly diplomacy,”. In the sovereignty disputes over the South China Sea, “shelving disputes and going in for joint development” was used by China as a policy of goodwill. Beijing has been intent on building an image of a responsible big power rising peacefully by way of establishing a mutual trust mechanism for military exchanges and joining multilateral security talks. Strategically, Beijing has acquired high-tech military weapons and equipment made by the former Soviet Union to struggle for post-cold war sea and land supremacy. Chinese achievements in space and satellite are quite dazzling. With a more powerful blue water navy, China hopes to extend its sovereignty and military presence in the South China Sea and Southeast Asia and have more bargaining chips in international diplomacy. In addition, since a rising China consumes more energy, China determines to safeguard sea-lanes, so as to assure energy security. Despite bringing up “good-neighborly diplomacy” based on“ new security concept”,China’s real strategic intention behind this is to compete for power. Therefore, the concept is expected to face many challenges, such as sovereignty disputes and international pressures.