ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that China's behavior toward Southeast Asia has shown some evidence of hyperactivity toward a limited number of its neighbors, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, but less so with most of its neighbors. The relationship between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors has shown the most change since the Qing dynasty. Vietnam and China have had violent clashes as far back as 1974 and as recently as May 2014, both near the Paracels. Malaysia's claim to the South China Sea overlaps Brunei's and China's and Indonesia's, but not Vietnam's. China did not militarily intervene in its neighbors during 21st century, without permission. The tiny sultanate of Brunei Darussalam has a claim in the South China Sea that is highly ambiguous, and which has in no clear way affected the relationship of that country with China. Many of China's actions in the South China Sea have been designed to avoid the appearance of outright military aggression.
