The Economic Dimension in China’s Foreign Relations: Reflections for China Studies in the Philippines

This essay elucidates the economic dimension of China’s foreign relations in aid of gleaning critical reflections on how China Studies in the Philippines can better consider China’s development experience and the Philippines’ economic engagement with China. Whether Philippines-China relations are tense or warm, the discourse on bilateral ties is dominated by interrogations from the vantage points of international relations, diplomacy, politics, and security analysis, which feature peripheral content on economic analysis even when improving economic linkages is invoked as a focal point of relations. Meanwhile, existing economic studies that touch on the bilateral relations do not have the interdisciplinary or area studies approach that must underpin the analysis. Employing a qualitative research design that involves content analysis, key informant interviews, and comparative reflection, the essay begins with an overview of how China’s development strategy has shaped its foreign relations. The essay opens with a brief overview of how China’s development strategy evolved since 1978. The next section focuses on innovations in foreign relations and China’s grand new initiatives. What follows is the section on China’s need for further development, which consists of a discussion on inclusive development issues and resource demand. The fourth section underscores insights for China Studies in the Philippines. The essay ends with closing remarks