Back
About RSIS
Introduction
Building the Foundations
Welcome Message
Board of Governors
Staff Profiles
Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
Dean’s Office
Management
Distinguished Fellows
Faculty and Research
Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
Visiting Fellows
Adjunct Fellows
Administrative Staff
Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
RSIS Endowment Fund
Endowed Professorships
Career Opportunities
Getting to RSIS
Research
Research Centres
Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
Centre of Excellence for National Security
Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
Research Programmes
National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)
Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
Other Research
Future Issues and Technology Cluster
Research@RSIS
Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
Graduate Education
Graduate Programmes Office
Exchange Partners and Programmes
How to Apply
Financial Assistance
Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
RSIS Alumni
Outreach
Global Networks
About Global Networks
RSIS Alumni
Executive Education
About Executive Education
SRP Executive Programme
Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
International Programmes
About International Programmes
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)
International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
Publications
RSIS Publications
Annual Reviews
Books
Bulletins and Newsletters
RSIS Commentary Series
Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
Commemorative / Event Reports
Future Issues
IDSS Papers
Interreligious Relations
Monographs
NTS Insight
Policy Reports
Working Papers
External Publications
Authored Books
Journal Articles
Edited Books
Chapters in Edited Books
Policy Reports
Working Papers
Op-Eds
Glossary of Abbreviations
Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
RSIS Publications for the Year
External Publications for the Year
Media
Cohesive Societies
Sustainable Security
Other Resource Pages
News Releases
Speeches
Video/Audio Channel
External Podcasts
Events
Contact Us
S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University
  • About RSIS
      IntroductionBuilding the FoundationsWelcome MessageBoard of GovernorsHonours and Awards for RSIS Staff and StudentsRSIS Endowment FundEndowed ProfessorshipsCareer OpportunitiesGetting to RSIS
      Staff ProfilesExecutive Deputy Chairman’s OfficeDean’s OfficeManagementDistinguished FellowsFaculty and ResearchAssociate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research AnalystsVisiting FellowsAdjunct FellowsAdministrative Staff
  • Research
      Research CentresCentre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)Centre of Excellence for National SecurityInstitute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      Research ProgrammesNational Security Studies Programme (NSSP)Social Cohesion Research Programme (SCRP)Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      Other ResearchFuture Issues and Technology ClusterResearch@RSISScience and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      Graduate Programmes OfficeExchange Partners and ProgrammesHow to ApplyFinancial AssistanceMeet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other eventsRSIS Alumni
  • Outreach
      Global NetworksAbout Global NetworksRSIS Alumni
      Executive EducationAbout Executive EducationSRP Executive ProgrammeTerrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
      International ProgrammesAbout International ProgrammesAsia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)International Conference on Cohesive Societies (ICCS)International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
  • Publications
      RSIS PublicationsAnnual ReviewsBooksBulletins and NewslettersRSIS Commentary SeriesCounter Terrorist Trends and AnalysesCommemorative / Event ReportsFuture IssuesIDSS PapersInterreligious RelationsMonographsNTS InsightPolicy ReportsWorking Papers
      External PublicationsAuthored BooksJournal ArticlesEdited BooksChapters in Edited BooksPolicy ReportsWorking PapersOp-Eds
      Glossary of AbbreviationsPolicy-relevant Articles Given RSIS AwardRSIS Publications for the YearExternal Publications for the Year
  • Media
      Cohesive SocietiesSustainable SecurityOther Resource PagesNews ReleasesSpeechesVideo/Audio ChannelExternal Podcasts
  • Events
  • Contact Us
    • Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
      rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
      rsis.sg
      rsissg
      RSIS
      RSS
      Subscribe to RSIS Publications
      Subscribe to RSIS Events

      Getting to RSIS

      Nanyang Technological University
      Block S4, Level B3,
      50 Nanyang Avenue,
      Singapore 639798

      Click here for direction to RSIS

      Get in Touch

    Connect
    Search
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • China’s Regional Policy in Asia: An Omni-directional Assessment
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • RSIS Commentary Series
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • Future Issues
    • IDSS Papers
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers

    China’s Regional Policy in Asia: An Omni-directional Assessment

    10 December 2013

    download pdf

    Executive Summary

    As Asia’s largest country and a rapidly rising power, China exerts a significant impact on its immediate neighbourhood. It is no surprise that there has been much discussion and speculation about China’s extant and future behaviour in the region. It is important to properly assess the trends and trajectory of China’s international relations within its immediate region: in particular, how China intends to conduct its regional policy as it interacts with other regional powers, and in the context of the U.S. re-balance to Asia.

    China’s diplomacy with its periphery has, at the same time, resulted in the opening up of its border regions to its immediate neighbours since the institutionalisation of economic reforms, with the most significant transformations taking place in the past decade. To the policy community and the scholarly world, however, the developments between China and its bordering countries remain poorly understood, with the commonly held assumption that Chinese peripheral diplomacy has largely been the result of directed efforts by the central government as opposed to coordinated collaboration between the central government and the bordering provinces.

    In view of its size, and the vast land and sea boundaries that it shares with its neighbours in the Northeast, Southeast, South as well as Central Asia, China has always regarded its peripheral policy as a crucial aspect of its national security. Such a mentality conforms to the leaders’ core belief that a stable external environment remains the sine qua non for the continued and sustained rejuvenation of their nation.

    Against this backdrop, the China Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and the Department of Government and Public Administration at the University of Macau (UM) co-organised a conference titled “China’s Regional Policy in Asia: An Omni-directional Assessment” on 9-10 December 2013. This joint conference aimed to investigate in further depth and breadth the core issues facing China’s evolving peripheral policy. In particular, the conference attempted to address the following questions:

    (i) Whether China has a coherent regional policy for its periphery?
    (ii) To what extent has China’s regional policy been dictated by the central government? And what about the role of provincial authorities along China’s border regions?
    (iii) What has changed or remained unchanged in China’s regional policy towards its neighbours?
    (iv) In what ways have China’s diplomacy with its periphery had an impact on its relationships with key regional players and on sub-regional integration in Asia?
    (v) What is the likely trajectory of China’s regional policy?

    By providing a platform to further enhance the academic and policymaking community’s understanding of China’s evolving relations with its regional neighbours, the conference saw participants engage in lively discussions and debates on the challenges and prospects of China’s peripheral engagement as it continues its path of economic development and grows in global and regional stature.

    The start of the conference was marked by welcome remarks from Ambassador Barry Desker, Dean of RSIS, and Professor Hao Yufan, Dean of UM’s Social Sciences Faculty, who both expressed their hopes that the conference would serve to illuminate key issues of China’s international relations with its periphery. This was followed by a broad overview of China’s regional foreign policy before the conference proceeded to more focused discussions on China’s diplomacy vis–à–vis the Northeast Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian and Central/West Asian regions. Conference participants expressed optimism that there is room for China and its neighbours to pursue common interests and establish the foundations for secure borders and stable relations with each other.

    Categories: Commemorative / Event Reports / Country and Region Studies / Southeast Asia and ASEAN

    Executive Summary

    As Asia’s largest country and a rapidly rising power, China exerts a significant impact on its immediate neighbourhood. It is no surprise that there has been much discussion and speculation about China’s extant and future behaviour in the region. It is important to properly assess the trends and trajectory of China’s international relations within its immediate region: in particular, how China intends to conduct its regional policy as it interacts with other regional powers, and in the context of the U.S. re-balance to Asia.

    China’s diplomacy with its periphery has, at the same time, resulted in the opening up of its border regions to its immediate neighbours since the institutionalisation of economic reforms, with the most significant transformations taking place in the past decade. To the policy community and the scholarly world, however, the developments between China and its bordering countries remain poorly understood, with the commonly held assumption that Chinese peripheral diplomacy has largely been the result of directed efforts by the central government as opposed to coordinated collaboration between the central government and the bordering provinces.

    In view of its size, and the vast land and sea boundaries that it shares with its neighbours in the Northeast, Southeast, South as well as Central Asia, China has always regarded its peripheral policy as a crucial aspect of its national security. Such a mentality conforms to the leaders’ core belief that a stable external environment remains the sine qua non for the continued and sustained rejuvenation of their nation.

    Against this backdrop, the China Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and the Department of Government and Public Administration at the University of Macau (UM) co-organised a conference titled “China’s Regional Policy in Asia: An Omni-directional Assessment” on 9-10 December 2013. This joint conference aimed to investigate in further depth and breadth the core issues facing China’s evolving peripheral policy. In particular, the conference attempted to address the following questions:

    (i) Whether China has a coherent regional policy for its periphery?
    (ii) To what extent has China’s regional policy been dictated by the central government? And what about the role of provincial authorities along China’s border regions?
    (iii) What has changed or remained unchanged in China’s regional policy towards its neighbours?
    (iv) In what ways have China’s diplomacy with its periphery had an impact on its relationships with key regional players and on sub-regional integration in Asia?
    (v) What is the likely trajectory of China’s regional policy?

    By providing a platform to further enhance the academic and policymaking community’s understanding of China’s evolving relations with its regional neighbours, the conference saw participants engage in lively discussions and debates on the challenges and prospects of China’s peripheral engagement as it continues its path of economic development and grows in global and regional stature.

    The start of the conference was marked by welcome remarks from Ambassador Barry Desker, Dean of RSIS, and Professor Hao Yufan, Dean of UM’s Social Sciences Faculty, who both expressed their hopes that the conference would serve to illuminate key issues of China’s international relations with its periphery. This was followed by a broad overview of China’s regional foreign policy before the conference proceeded to more focused discussions on China’s diplomacy vis–à–vis the Northeast Asian, Southeast Asian, South Asian and Central/West Asian regions. Conference participants expressed optimism that there is room for China and its neighbours to pursue common interests and establish the foundations for secure borders and stable relations with each other.

    Categories: Commemorative / Event Reports / Country and Region Studies

    Popular Links

    About RSISResearch ProgrammesGraduate EducationPublicationsEventsAdmissionsCareersVideo/Audio ChannelRSIS Intranet

    Connect with Us

    rsis.ntu
    rsis_ntu
    rsisntu
    rsisvideocast
    school/rsis-ntu
    rsis.sg
    rsissg
    RSIS
    RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    Getting to RSIS

    Nanyang Technological University
    Block S4, Level B3,
    50 Nanyang Avenue,
    Singapore 639798

    Click here for direction to RSIS

    Get in Touch

      Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
      Privacy Statement / Terms of Use
      Help us improve

        Rate your experience with this website
        123456
        Not satisfiedVery satisfied
        What did you like?
        0/255 characters
        What can be improved?
        0/255 characters
        Your email
        Please enter a valid email.
        Thank you for your feedback.
        This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
        OK
        Latest Book
        more info