1China’s Changing Role in Asia

This chapter provides a Chinese perspective on the role of the People’s Republic of China in Asia and its strategy toward its Asian neighbors. It does this by examining China’s response to the widely shared perception in recent years of its “rise ” and by discussing the principal concerns that shape China’s strategy toward Asia. Finally, China’s strategy toward the region is considered in terms of its relations with the United States. The Rise of China Even though many are preoccupied with the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States and the war in Iraq, China’s ascendance continues to attract international attention. While some pessi-mists point to the “coming collapse of China,”1 most observers appear deeply impressed with China’s economic achievements and social progress.2 The leadership transition of 2002–2003 proceeded smoothly, with both Presi-dent Hu Jintao, the new general secretary of the Communist Party, and Premier Wen Jiabao projecting moderate, confident, and competent lead-ership. Few analysts predict political upheaval in China in the foreseeable future. For at least the next couple of years, it appears there will be more continuity than change in Chinese foreign and domestic policies. The international discourse on the regional and global impact of the “rise of China ” has, of course, caught the Chinese leadership’s attention. Chinese leaders and ordinary citizens alike are obviously happy to hear praise of China’s successes, and such commentary arouses national pride. Official speeches, reports, and domestic media are also inundated wit