An attempt will be made to provide explanations for China's initial negative reactions to ASEAN as well as to account for the change towards a more positive approach in later years. Discussion on the subject will be along the following lines; first, a brief comment on China's foreign policy objectives in Southeast Asia; secondly, an analysis of Chinese reactions to the formation of ASEAN in 1967; thirdly, Chinese attitudes towards the Association in the years following its establishment but preceding Peking's change in policy and, finally, an analysis of the factors which led to a more favorable approach to the Association.
With the recent Sino-Vietnamese conflict over the 'Overseas Chinese', the problem of ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia once again attracted the attention of the world. Questions are raised as to whether or not Peking has introduced a new policy to act as the protector of the interests of the 'Overseas Chinese'. This examines the position of the 'Overseas Chinese' in the People republic of China's foreign policy from 1949 to the present time and conventional notion of the linkages between China and the 'Overseas Chinese'. Moreover, it discusses the ethnic Chinese scene in Southeast Asia and ASEAN countries' reactions to China's recent foreign relations.
The Straits Chinese (otherwise known as Babas or Peranakans) represent a unique blend of Chinese and Malay cultural traits and yet are quite distinct from both these two source cultures. Many rose to the positions of political and social prominence under British rule. The nature of this cultural and political accommodation and its dynamics provide an ideal ethnographic base for an exploration of ethnicity in Southeast Asia. This paper examines the nature of their identity and culture, the changes in the nature of the group and internal and external criteria for identification. The thesis is that the emergence of the Baba community is due to a combination of social and political factors, including the nurturing of a group willing to distinguish themselves from other Chinese migrants by learning English and acting as social and political brokers between the government and the population. Their position becomes ambiguous after 1942, with the decline of British influence. The writer's argument is that the outcome of this situation is not to be explained by factors of choice or perception but by structural factors. The paper concludes with an examination of these structural factors (including processes of accommodation, assimilation, and resignification) which have their roots in the colonial past of the area in the present management of ethnicity in Malaysia and Singapore.
Contains a list of titles in English covering relations between ASEAN and China. Titles cover topics such as bilateral relations, economic relations, finance and investment, the Greater Mekong Subregion, maritime issues and territorial disputes, socio-cultural issues, and trade relations.
When Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, paid an official visit to China in May 1974, it secured Malaysia a place in the annals of regional diplomatic history as the first ASEAN country to establish full diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. This book analyses the process of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, and provides a detailed explanation and understanding of the decision- making process in Malaysia. Shedding light on the roles played by the various principal actors in the process of foreign policy formulation and the influences - both internal and external – that shaped Malaysia’s behaviour, the book highlights why Malaysia decided to pursue a policy of normalisation with China, culminating in the visit in 1974, and in particular why it became the first ASEAN country to establish diplomatic relations with the Chinese. After Malaysia’s recognition of Beijing, two other ASEAN states followed suit, namely Thailand and the Philippines, and the book discusses whether there was some degree of policy coordination amongst ASEAN countries in dealing with China, or if both these countries gave way for Malaysia to be the first. The book also looks at the policy debates within some ASEAN countries regarding relations with China, either conducted officially or unofficially, bilaterally or otherwise. This book will be of interest to scholars of Asian Politics, Asian History, International Relations and Foreign Policy.
In China's Public Diplomacy, author Ingrid d'Hooghe contributes to our understanding of what constitutes and shapes a country's public diplomacy, and what factors undermine or contribute to its success. China invests heavily in policies aimed at improving its image, guarding itself against international criticism and advancing its domestic and international agenda. This volume explores how the Chinese government seeks to develop a distinct Chinese approach to public diplomacy, one that suits the country's culture and authoritarian system. Based on in-depth case studies, it provides a thorough analysis of this approach, which is characterized by a long-term vision, a dominant role for the government, an inseparable and complementary domestic dimension, and a high level of interconnectedness with China's overall foreign policy and diplomacy.
The Handbook of the Politics of China is a comprehensive resource introducing readers to the very latest in research on Chinese politics. David Goodman provides an introduction to the key structures and issues, providing the foundations on which later learning can be built. Including a comprehensive bibliography, it is an ideal reference work for undergraduate and postgraduate students and academics. The Handbook contains four sections of new and original research, dealing with leadership and institutions, public policy, political economy and social change, and international relations. Each of the 26 chapters has been written by a leading internationally-established authority in the field and each reviews the literature on the topic, and presents the latest findings of research. Presenting the state of the art of the field, this reader-oriented Handbook is an essential primer for the study of China’s politics.
This book assesses the important role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the management of regional political, security and economic relations. The author argues that ASEAN’s prominent role in the region, spanning 50 years, is largely due to the acquiescence of the great powers who endorsed ASEAN, accepted its regional position and accorded the institution a legitimacy and durability that, otherwise, it would not have. This text offers a key intervention into the debate regarding ASEAN and regional order by showing how ASEAN’s contribution to order management is part of a negotiated division of labour with the great powers. The author applies an innovative social roles analysis, which captures the dynamic interactions between ASEAN and the great powers from the Cold War to the present day.
