Military buildup seen hitting China's inroads in Asia
WASHINGTON (AFP) - China may be making huge strides in projecting "soft power" in Southeast Asia amid US preoccupation in Iraq, but the region remains wary of the Asian giant's military ambitions, experts say.
Once a US stomping ground, Southeast Asia is seeing greater Chinese involvement in diplomacy, trade, investment, cultural and educational exchanges as well as foreign aid to less developed states.
A critical component of China's "soft power" diplomacy is the emphasis on engaging the region as a whole -- unlike the United States, which has focused primarily on bilateral relations.
The United States helped set up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a bulwark against communism 40 years ago, but today China is "increasingly the most influential external actor in dealing with ASEAN," said Joshua Kurlantzick, a visiting scholar at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Also, unlike the United States, China has acceded to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation -- a non-aggression treaty -- and forged a free trade agreement with the group comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"This makes it appear like China is more committed to regional free trade, and there has been much less protest in Southeast Asia against the China deal than against some of the deals with the US," said Kurlantzick, author of "Charm Offensive: How China's Soft Power Is Transforming the World."
When Washington tightened visa policies after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Beijing moved to aggressively encourage Chinese education in the region -- funding primary schools, setting up Confucian institutes at universities, and offering scholarships and visitor programs for rising Asian leaders, Kurlantzick said.
"As a result, China is going to train many of the next generation of ASEAN opinion leaders, who once would have gone to the US or the UK or Australia," he said.
Despite China capitalising on US policy mistakes to boost its charm offensive in the region, President George W. Bush's administration seems unperturbed.
"Having more China does not mean less US in Southeast Asia," said US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill. "There is plenty of room for all of us and we don't see China as a 'winner,'" he said.
Hill said that Washington was not competing with China "for the hearts and souls of Southeast Asia.
"In fact, we want Southeast Asia to have a good relationship with China. We do not see this at all as opposed to our interests."
But China is beginning to notice US attempts to counter Beijing's influence, especially amid concerns over Chinese military build-up that could challenge traditional US naval dominance in the region.
At a recent seminar on trends in the distribution of military, economic and "soft" power in Asia Pacific hosted by the US-based East-West Centre, Chinese participants cited perceived US attempts to build "counter-Chinese coalitions" in the region, an expert said.
"Responses to the Chinese arguments, both by Americans and some other Asian participants, were that China's open and positive approach is welcomed and has improved China's image in the region," said Richard Baker, an Asia-Pacific expert at the centre.
But, Baker, a former US diplomat, said the participants also noted "lingering uncertainties and scepticism as to China's future conduct" with its increasing "hard power."
Beijing announced an official military budget of 45 billion US dollars for 2007. The US Defence Intelligence Agency however estimates that it is up to three times the amount.
More specifically, China's naval build-up is sparking regional insecurities and fuelling an arms race according to Stratfor, a leading US security consulting intelligence agency.
"The more China focuses on its maritime frontiers, the more alarm bells will sound in East Asia and the United States," the agency said in a recent commentary.
Against this growing suspicion, China has to show greater goodwill and respect for its regional partners before its soft power is fully effective in creating a "positive" image in the region, according to some participants at the East-West Centre conference.
Once a US stomping ground, Southeast Asia is seeing greater Chinese involvement in diplomacy, trade, investment, cultural and educational exchanges as well as foreign aid to less developed states.
A critical component of China's "soft power" diplomacy is the emphasis on engaging the region as a whole -- unlike the United States, which has focused primarily on bilateral relations.
The United States helped set up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a bulwark against communism 40 years ago, but today China is "increasingly the most influential external actor in dealing with ASEAN," said Joshua Kurlantzick, a visiting scholar at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Also, unlike the United States, China has acceded to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation -- a non-aggression treaty -- and forged a free trade agreement with the group comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
"This makes it appear like China is more committed to regional free trade, and there has been much less protest in Southeast Asia against the China deal than against some of the deals with the US," said Kurlantzick, author of "Charm Offensive: How China's Soft Power Is Transforming the World."
When Washington tightened visa policies after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Beijing moved to aggressively encourage Chinese education in the region -- funding primary schools, setting up Confucian institutes at universities, and offering scholarships and visitor programs for rising Asian leaders, Kurlantzick said.
"As a result, China is going to train many of the next generation of ASEAN opinion leaders, who once would have gone to the US or the UK or Australia," he said.
Despite China capitalising on US policy mistakes to boost its charm offensive in the region, President George W. Bush's administration seems unperturbed.
"Having more China does not mean less US in Southeast Asia," said US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill. "There is plenty of room for all of us and we don't see China as a 'winner,'" he said.
Hill said that Washington was not competing with China "for the hearts and souls of Southeast Asia.
"In fact, we want Southeast Asia to have a good relationship with China. We do not see this at all as opposed to our interests."
But China is beginning to notice US attempts to counter Beijing's influence, especially amid concerns over Chinese military build-up that could challenge traditional US naval dominance in the region.
At a recent seminar on trends in the distribution of military, economic and "soft" power in Asia Pacific hosted by the US-based East-West Centre, Chinese participants cited perceived US attempts to build "counter-Chinese coalitions" in the region, an expert said.
"Responses to the Chinese arguments, both by Americans and some other Asian participants, were that China's open and positive approach is welcomed and has improved China's image in the region," said Richard Baker, an Asia-Pacific expert at the centre.
But, Baker, a former US diplomat, said the participants also noted "lingering uncertainties and scepticism as to China's future conduct" with its increasing "hard power."
Beijing announced an official military budget of 45 billion US dollars for 2007. The US Defence Intelligence Agency however estimates that it is up to three times the amount.
More specifically, China's naval build-up is sparking regional insecurities and fuelling an arms race according to Stratfor, a leading US security consulting intelligence agency.
"The more China focuses on its maritime frontiers, the more alarm bells will sound in East Asia and the United States," the agency said in a recent commentary.
Against this growing suspicion, China has to show greater goodwill and respect for its regional partners before its soft power is fully effective in creating a "positive" image in the region, according to some participants at the East-West Centre conference.
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