ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the changing contours of China–Southeast Asia interactions from the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 to the present. Going beyond the conventional foci on diplomatic and strategic relations, it is mainly concerned with the interactions between China and the region. The chapter consists of two parts: the first part presents a chronological overview of the relationship between China and Southeast Asia. The second part analyzes three major factors affecting this relationship: ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia, South China Sea disputes, and increasingly complex trade and investment networks. It demonstrates that interactions between China and Southeast Asia have been shaped by ideological conflicts, competing nationalisms, clashes of strategic interests, global politics, as well as economic interdependence. To comprehend this multifaceted relationship, it is essential to place their connections in historical, network, and knowledge production perspectives rather than narrowly focusing on current front-page events and high politics.
