Southeast Asian Perspectives on the Rise of China: Regional Security after 9/11
Abstract
The unprecedented rise of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is a global reality. From one of the world's least developed countries in the 1970s, China had developed one of the largest economies in the world by the late 1990s. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that from 1979 to 1997, China's gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an average rate of 9.8 percent. This phenomenal economic growth has spilled over to China's defense budget, with military spending rising to 17.6 percent of China's outlays, an equivalent of $3 billion in March 2002 alone. Because of the burgeoning economic and military power of China, there are enormous worries about the idea of a China threat. The United States has particularly expressed strong apprehensions regarding the ascension of China. The U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century warns that "the potential for competition between the United States and China may increase as China grows stronger." The Commission on America's National Interests describes China as "America's major potential strategic adversary in East Asia," while the Council on Foreign Relations has stated that "China poses significant economic, military, and political challenges for the United States and for the nations of Southeast Asia." This theme is supported by a RAND study describing China as a potential military threat to the United States and Southeast Asia. While the United States views China as a potential threat to its national security, how do Southeast Asian countries view the rise of China? What are the implications of the growth of China for regional security, especially in the aftermath of 9/11? This article aims to present Southeast Asian perspectives on the rise of China and its regional security implications since 9/11.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA491008
Entities
People
- Rommel C. Banlaoi