China's lack of popularity among its neighbors

By Li Kaisheng
Column: Free Talk

Published: November 09, 2009

Font size:

Xiangtan, China — Singapore’s Minister Mentor Harry Lee Kuan Yew, who once enjoyed high prestige in China, greatly upset the Chinese with a statement he made in a recent speech delivered in the United States. In fact, along with its rising prominence, China has faced some embarrassment with regard to its other Asian neighbors as well. Even while engaging more closely with this emerging power, they seem to be strengthening ties with the United States in an attempt to “balance” China’s influence.

Speaking in Washington at a banquet to mark the 25th anniversary of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council on Oct. 27, Lee, the founding prime minister of Singapore, called on the United States to continue its involvement in Asian affairs to balance China’s military and economic strength.

This news invited a flood of comments from the Chinese. Many Chinese netizens harshly criticized Lee, some using offensive language. As of Nov. 2, as many as 86 percent of respondents in an online poll by state-run huanqiu.com said that Lee’s statement would affect their impressions of Singapore.

Actually, Lee’s comment wasn’t surprising at all. As a tiny country in Southeast Asia, Singapore has always tried to keep a balance between strong powers, maintaining good relations with both China and the United States. At present, when the United States is facing many problems and its influence in Asia appears to be shrinking, Lee merely spoke up to the United States in keeping with its consistent policy.

What was different was that this speech received tremendous media coverage. And since Lee is Chinese, many Chinese netizens had difficulty accepting what he had to say.

This incident reflects the similarly embarrassing stance toward China of many of its neighbors. On one hand, these countries are interacting with China more and more in terms of trade, economic and civil exchanges. But on the other hand, they keep a wary eye on China and spare no effort at encouraging the United States to balance China’s influence.

Among such neighbors, Singapore has maintained friendly relations with China for the longest time. Other countries – like Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia – have experienced border disputes over land or territorial waters and their relations with China are much more delicate.

Unlike their attitudes toward China, most of these countries are positive toward the United States, especially in terms of security alliances. Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Thailand maintain formal military alliances with the United States, while many other Southeast Asian countries have various levels of military cooperation. Even Vietnam, which once fought the United States, maintains an active interest in good relations with that country.

As for North Korea, which still views the United States as its enemy, it continues a verbal battle on one hand but is also eager to establish ties with the United States on the other. When U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, during her trip to Asia last July, announced in a high-sounding way that the United States had returned to Asia, the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations expressed a common welcome.

This pro-U.S. mindset among China’s neighbors embarrasses China, beyond a doubt. Although China is close at hand and has been contributing more and more to regional economic growth, its neighbors prefer the United States, far away on the other side of the Earth.

Certainly there are many reasons for this. Besides some actual current disputes, Cold War conflicts – like the Sino-Vietnamese war and China’s efforts to export communist revolution in the old days – still cast a shadow over bilateral relations.

However, in my opinion, what worries its neighbors most is the great uncertainty brought by China’s rapid development. For example, how far will China continue to develop? What kind of influence will it hold over neighboring countries? What will its security policy be?

The neighboring countries are uncertain about these issues despite the merits of China’s development. Therefore they refrain from advocating restraints on China, but prefer to keep the United States engaged for the sake of balance and protection.

In light of these concerns, China may have to endure this dilemma in the neighborhood for a long while. Of course, China and the United States have not had completely zero-sum relations in Asia. Thus, even if China rises further, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the United States would have to completely withdraw from East Asia.

But the fact that most East Asian nations prefer strong relations with the United States rather than with China implies that China’s image in the region is still not that good. This preference is not in accordance with the trend of regional integration, either. It is imperative, in the interests of both China and the entire region, that China improve its relations with its neighbors.

This is why the Chinese government has been observing its friendly policy since the Cold War ended. On one hand, it tries to keep the peace regarding territorial disputes; on the other hand, it hopes to show its neighbors the benefits of engaging with it through establishing the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area.

But so far, this policy has had no visible effect, as China’s neighbors continue to worry about its policies and intentions. Unless China presents a plan that can allay its neighbors’ concerns, they will forever maintain vigilance against this country by holding tightly to the United States.

China should realize that its neighbors are worried not about whether or not it will become a regional leader, but what kind of leader it will become. They probably know that sooner or later some country will emerge as a regional leader. In this respect, China should come up with a clear, comprehensive and win-win regional strategy that can calm the nerves of its neighbors.

(Li Kaisheng teaches international relations at Xiangtan University in Xiangtan city, Hunan province, China. He holds a doctorate in law. This article is translated and edited from the Chinese by UPI Asia.com; the original may be found at http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4e20bb500100g3og.html ©Copyright Li Kaisheng.)