ABSTRACT
The considerable success of Chinese diplomacy in Southeast Asia is due to a combination of bilateral and multilateral economic, political, and cultural strategies. For China, strong ties with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are particularly significant in its relations with the rest of the world. China's influence in the region has grown to a level at which America's reliance on support from Southeast Asian nations in case of a United States-China conflict is no longer guaranteed. The United States remains the dominant force in Southeast Asia, but Chinese influence is growing. Southeast Asian nations wish to maintain good relations with both the United States and China, and they don't want to be forced to choose side if a conflict occurs between the two big powers. China has successfully created a win-win situation for ASEAN states to develop close ties and achieve common growth with China.
