China’s Soft Power Strategy In The Southeast Asia Region From1997to2007and Recommendations For Vietnam

In recent years, there have been ample analysis and debate on the rise of Chinaprimarily focusing on its economic and military modernization in contemporaryinternational relations. Increasingly significant, China has achieved astonishingachievements in economic terms, taking with it an increase in military power. On theother hand, the "hard power" of China is increasing. In parallel, we have alsowitnessed the “soft power” dimension, an important part of the strength of China, hasalso increased dramatically, not only in Southeast Asia but elsewhere around theworld. Given China’s threat theory dialecticism, it is also worth understudying howChina has been able to deal with this political challenge as it grows to realize its greatpower ambition. This study therefore employed a qualitative case study of "China’ssoft power strategy in the Southeast Asia region from1997to2007”. The aim isto understudy Chinese soft power strategy which can serve as an informed policyplatform for Vietnam.The study primarily focused on analysis and strategic assessment of China’s softpower from a period of10years in South East Asia region, particularly after the Asianfinancial crisis (1996-1997).The issue raised here was: how has China strengthened the deployment of softpower in Southeast Asia while maintaining or even enhancing the use of hard powerin the this sub-region? Reasonably, the nature of the deployment of soft power is torelieve the worries of South East Asia countries on China’s rapid militarymodernization and its influence in this sub-region. The Southeast Asia countries willreact and Vietnam is one of country in this region, how should they behave towardsChina’s soft power in Southeast Asia?The purpose of the thesis was to shed more light on the concept of soft power ininternational relations, implementation activities of Chinese soft power in SoutheastAsia, and how it impacts regional countries, especially Vietnam. And the task were:1)to learn the concept of soft power in international relations;2) comprehensive analysisof activities implemented China’s soft power to the region of Southeast Asia in1997to2007;3) reviewing the impact of strategic deployment of China’s soft power toSoutheast Asia and providing recommendations for the others countries in general andVietnam in particular. The study also used complimentary perspectives of Marxism,Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping’s theory, the discussion of the Communist Party of China, Ho Chi Minh ideology and the Communist Party ofVietnam. It’s also used scholars of modern political world combining with researchmethods, such as: methods to perform targeted research topics as well as thedeployment, combined leap finely between historical logic method, comparativemethod, method specific history, method of data analysis are used on the basis of thetenet methodology of dialectical materialism and historical materialism history.Subjects of the research include views on soft power, and the effects of China withSoutheast Asia through the deployment of soft power. Because this is a relatively newconcept and is applicable only in the last10years through the construction of a set ofbasic theory about soft power, the study specifically looked into the result of theChina’s strategic deployment of soft power in the region of Southeast Asia. Whentalking about Chinese soft power in Southeast Asia, it also requires re-thinking of themain reasons behind China’s efforts. First of all, the economic power is growingstronger; China wants to build a sustainable world power. Therefore, over the pastdecade, China has made policy adjustments to ease the fear of something called"China threat theory" as well as building and strengthening the confidence ofcountries in the region about China’s image which shows how it is willing to assumeand share benefits and responsibilities in solving problems in the region. In parallelwith the increase in specific power is hard military power in Southeast Asia regionand is focused to build, set up a strategic deployment of soft power and in fact, thisstrategy has brought a host of benefits and no small success for China.China is using "soft power" to make its influence in Southeast Asia. Potential"soft power" of China is very strong, said to have "taken root" in Southeast Asia longago. Confucianism, the doctrine of political and social elites of feudal China also hashuge implications for Southeast Asia. Today, the rapid development of China’seconomic model will make development of this country becomes more attractive. Atthe same time, economic wealth has created favorable conditions for China tovigorously expand the dissemination of Chinese culture to the outside. Speaking in thewords of some scholars, China is using both past and present, using hard power tosupport the construction and using soft power in its relations with neighboringcountries in Southeast Asia. This is considered an important factor and a strategicchoice of China. But the rapid development of China has not been well for theneighbors concerns. To reassure sensitive neighbors, China has proposed the theory of "peaceful development" in which China’s development will not bring any threat to itsneighbors. The establishment of Chinese soft power is to create more sustainabilityfor its position and power in Southeast Asia will be and important foundation in theprocess of extending it to the world in the future. In the contemporary world orderthere is a need for China to diffuse the China threat theory in order to create apeaceful and harmonious environment for its prosperity and development.