China's ASEAN policy in Deng Xiaoping's era : major political and security issues and general trends

Abstract

This thesis studies China’s policy towards ASEAN in Deng Xiaoping’s era by examining its general trends, and examining China’s policies and actions in the issues of Soviet/Vietnam “hegemonism” (1978- 82), the expanding ASEAN-Taiwan de facto official relations, the Western human rights campaign in Asia, the Spratly dispute, and China’s relations with the ASEAN-based communist insurgencies. By examining those general trends, as well as specific policies and actions in those issues, the thesis demonstrates that because of developments in the domestic, regional and international situations, Deng’s China has five main objectives in its ASEAN policy. These objectives are: to create and secure a tranquil regional environment in which China can concentrate on its modernisation; to maintain the legitimacy of the Chinese government and political system, both at home and in the changing world order; to protect China’s sovereignty; to shore up China’s international and regional influence; and to increase economic benefit from trading with, and attracting investment from, the ASEAN countries, and from making some ASEAN countries give up their attempts to slow down Western economic and technological assistance to China.