China's participation in multilateral Pacific cooperation forums

Two factors in world politics have fundamentally changed China's role in Southeast Asia: the growth of economic-industrial potential and the relaxing of the security situation following the disintegration of the USSR. There is accompanying regional concern that China could become the dominant power, pursuing expansionistic and hegemonic goals, in the Asia-Pacific region. Many observers feel that Beijing's activities with respect to the South China Sea confirms this suspicion. Juergen Haacke of the London School of Economic examines the problem in greater detail and comes to the conclusion that this view of Chinese policy, regardless of the numerous ambivalence, is far too sceptical and that the network of international security talks, above all the one created by the members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), constitutes a major element of China's integration in an international security order.