China's diplomatic outreach<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro, Editor, 'The Indonesian Quarterly' Centre for Strategic and
\nInternational Studies (CSIS), Jakarta, bandoro@csis.or.id<\/p>\n
Series of events in the Asia-Pacific region last month -- the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Bali,
\nthe APEC meeting in Bangkok, the visit of top Chinese leaders to
\nAustralia and to North Korea -- seemed to confirm the fact that
\nChina is building more confidence in its political and economic
\npresence in the region; seeking a long-term strategic gains
\nthrough a more pragmatic approach to its Asian neighbors.<\/p>\n
In Southeast Asia, during the ASEAN Bali summit, China acceded
\nto the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), making it the first
\ncountry outside Southeast Asia to join the club.<\/p>\n
It is also the first time that China established a strategic
\npartnership with a regional organization. China and ASEAN also
\nsigned a supplementary protocol to the Framework Agreement on
\nComprehensive Economic Cooperation and other documents. In the
\nAPEC meeting in Bangkok, China showed its resolve in becoming
\npart of the core activities of the region.<\/p>\n
Beijing has shown the region that it is confident and
\ncomfortable in handling international issues and pressure as
\nwell. China is trying to be the center of economic, as well as
\npolitical and strategic, power. China's No. 2 man just returned
\nfrom Pyongyang and succeeded in persuading North Korea to return
\nto negotiation table. China is not yielding to the U.S. agenda,
\nbut definitely has its own.<\/p>\n
What one notices of China's current foreign policy is its
\nsophistication. China stressed the importance of increasing
\nmutual trust on the basis of mutual respect, seeking common
\nground while putting aside differences and working to resolve
\nwhatever problems there might be through dialog and consultation
\nin a joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the region.<\/p>\n
This is perhaps the message the Chinese leadership is sending
\nto the region, that China has no malevolent intent, despite its
\nterritorial quarrels with some of its neighbors.<\/p>\n
What is clear from the current Chinese diplomatic moves is the
\nwant to promote a sense of a multilateral world, in which the
\nUnited States will not dominate. China is cultivating its image
\nas a peace-loving state. This image has been employed to project
\nChina as peaceful and the United States as belligerent.<\/p>\n
The signing by China of the treaty of solidarity with ASEAN
\ncommitted Beijing to look at ASEAN as a friend instead of a foe,
\nsince the TAC rules out the use of force to settle disputes. This
\nhas shown China's willingness to build a strategic alliance with
\nits southern neighbors. China is seeking legal guarantees for
\nbeing a good neighbor and partner.<\/p>\n
On the one hand this strategic partnership indicate's China
\ngreater diplomatic confidence. On the other hand, the joint
\ndeclaration on the strategic partnership will make ASEAN
\ngradually believe that China will accept and respect the overall
\nstatus of ASEAN and would not adopt a policy of dividing it up.
\nUnder complex and profound changes, the cooperation between China
\nand ASEAN will certainly serve the immediate and long-term
\ninterests of both sides and is conducive to peace in the region.<\/p>\n
The motivation of China's current Asian diplomatic strategy is
\nprimarily to secure China's foreign policy environment at a time
\nwhen the regime in Beijing is now focused on sustaining economic
\ndevelopment and political stability, and to prevent countries in
\nthe region from uniting against China by virtue of a perceived
\nfear of a Chinese threat. It is not wrong to suggest that the
\nfocus of China's diplomatic strategy has been on countering the
\ninfluence of the United States in Asia.<\/p>\n
Another primary motivation is to calm regional fears and
\nreassure Asian neighbors about how China might use its rising
\npower and influence in the future. It is probably against such a
\nbackground that China decided to use high level diplomacy and
\ninitiate more extensive and constant contacts with the countries
\nin the region.<\/p>\n
What is clearly noticed from the presence of Chinese leaders
\nin the meetings in the Asia-Pacific region, as mentioned above,
\nis the revelation of China's sense of place in eastern Asia.
\nThrough such important regional meetings, China is determined not
\nonly to stay in the region, without having to compromise core
\nChinese territory, security or other interests, but also to help
\nboost the region, economically and politically. ASEAN and other
\ncountries in the region must now see the reality that a stronger,
\nmore developed and properly behaved China will certainly bring
\ntremendous immediate and long-term benefits to other east Asian
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
In an environment in which unilateral option is no longer on
\nthe diplomatic menu, mutual respect and trust and an
\nunderstanding by the countries in the region of the impact of the
\ncurrent acute strategic problems is necessary. China's current
\ndiplomacy toward Asia seems to reflect such a sentiment, meaning
\nthat it is wished to be seen not only as a promoter of a
\nmultipolar world through which stability and cooperation can be
\npursued, but also as one that adheres to regional codes of
\nconduct.<\/p>\n
This is the same position that has long been sought by ASEAN.
\nChina is showing no signs of retreating strategically from Asia
\nand it does not even need to do so. This is something that ASEAN
\nmust acknowledge. If China goes badly, be certain that eastern
\nAsia will also suffer.<\/p>",
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