ABSTRACT
Owing to their geographic proximity, the interactions between China and Southeast Asia stretch far back into history. While extensive, such experience is filled with stories of both conflict and cooperation. Thus, depending on the particular context of their current interactions, both the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Southeast Asian states have looked toward this past either for confirmation of their worst fears or for support of their more buoyant expectations. In recent years, however, with its growing economic and political significance in global politics, the PRC seems to regard a peaceful and stable international environment not only as a crucial contributing factor to its own development, but also as an important basis for its interaction with other countries (Hsu 2007). To that effect, China has adopted the twin-strategy of (i) promoting the concept of a “harmonious worldview” to counter the perception of a “China threat” and (ii) improving its relations with neighboring countries through bilateral and multilateral approaches under the framework of the “good neighbor diplomacy,” in order to reduce security threats and construct a regional environment favorable for economic development (Tsai et al. 2010: 25).
