Flashpoints

Is China Getting Better at Charming Southeast Asia on the South China Sea?

Recent Features

Flashpoints

Is China Getting Better at Charming Southeast Asia on the South China Sea?

Beijing looks to be getting better at how it uses soft power in the region.

Is China Getting Better at Charming Southeast Asia on the South China Sea?
Credit: KKP Image

Exactly five years ago, on  November 18, 2011, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao stood up in the Bali Convention Center and offered Southeast Asian countries $500 million to cooperate with China on maritime issues. It was a total failure. However, from the fiasco of the China-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Fund Beijing learnt how not to deal with its southern neighbors. Five years on, officials appear to have learnt how to spend their money more wisely and more effectively spread Chinese influence in Southeast Asia.

In 2011 Wen had high ambitions for the Fund. “Our cooperation in this area may start with marine research and environmental protection, connectivity, navigation safety, search and rescue, and combating transnational crimes” Wen told the other heads of government. He added that cooperation may “gradually expand into other fields, with the goal of developing multi-tiered and all-round maritime cooperation between China and ASEAN.”

[...]
Dreaming of a career in the Asia-Pacific?
Try The Diplomat's jobs board.
Find your Asia-Pacific job