China-Asean relations are bigger than mere geopolitics

AI Summary

China-ASEAN relations encompass complex elements of geopolitical tension and economic opportunity, involving issues like the South China Sea disputes and trade cooperation. The relationship balances risks from rivalries with possibilities for shared growth and infrastructure development.

China-Asean relations are usually described in two ways. One emphasises danger: the South China Sea, US-China rivalry, military pressure and risk of Southeast Asia being pulled into China’s orbit. The other emphasises opportunity: trade, infrastructure, investment, supply chains and shared growth. Both are true. Neither is enough. I recently joined a study tour by the University of Hong Kong’s Centre on Contemporary China and the World to Chengdu, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. During the trip, I was...