Abstract

The People’s Republic of China’s relations with South-East Asia in some respects provide a snapshot of Beijing’s broader strategic position in the world today. The region sits in China’s backyard and is an area where the interests of several existing and upcoming major powers intersect. South-East Asian nations themselves represent a very diverse mix of economies, societies, geographic realities and regime types ranging from the vast Indonesian archipelago to the city-state of Singapore and the sparsely populated, landlocked Laos. South-East Asia is also a region where China has both outstanding territorial disputes and significant economic ties. Chinese policy toward South-East Asia, therefore, incorporates the elements of great power politics, development, regional security and border issues that help shape China’s contemporary external relations.