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China’s Rising Power in Southeast Asia and Its Impact on Regional Institution-Building: Who Is Leading Whom?

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Initiatives of Regional Integration in Asia in Comparative Perspective

Part of the book series: United Nations University Series on Regionalism ((UNSR,volume 14))

Abstract

The chapter explores China’s rise from a leadership perspective using Southeast Asia as a test case. Leadership is conceptualized in materialist and constructivist terms. It is argued that China increasingly sets the rules in this world region. Competing with Japan and the US over regional leadership China forges strategic links to Southeast Asian neighbours in terms of investments, trade relations and aid. China also increasingly engages in multilateral cooperation and sets up respective initiatives to manage international problems. This should not be taken as a preference for multilateralism per se, but has to be seen in the light of China’s core interests of regional stability and resource seeking. The ASEAN states make room for a rising China as they benefit from increasing trade and stability. Due to the different interests of ASEAN, China’s rise brings also the potential for greater conflict in inner-ASEAN relations. The argument is developed by linking theories of regional powers, leadership and regionalism.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For more details on the development of merchandise trade between China and ASEAN member-countries (based on UNCOMTRADE data) see also Chen, Chap. 2, in this volume.

  2. 2.

    See also Loewen, Chap. 5, in this volume.

  3. 3.

    See also Krahl and Dosch, Chap. 4, in this volume.

  4. 4.

    On the China-ASEAN FTA see also Chen, Chap. 2, in this volume.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Monash University, Sunway Campus Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

    Marco Bünte

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  1. Marco Bünte
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Correspondence to Marco Bünte .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Science, Friedrich-Alexander Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Howard Loewen

  2. Centre for Mediterranean Studies, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    Anja Zorob

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Bünte, M. (2018). China’s Rising Power in Southeast Asia and Its Impact on Regional Institution-Building: Who Is Leading Whom?. In: Loewen, H., Zorob, A. (eds) Initiatives of Regional Integration in Asia in Comparative Perspective. United Nations University Series on Regionalism, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1211-6_7

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