Enze Han
There is considerable uncertainty in Southeast Asia regarding what a resurgent China means for the region. Over the past four decades, the once impoverished communist country has emerged as the world’s second-largest economy, transforming the image of Chinese people from famine-stricken to major consumers and investors. Due to the immense size of the Chinese economy, its vast population and its enigmatic authoritarian government, China’s intentions towards the region remain a significant question mark for Southeast Asian countries.
Debates abound within Southeast Asia regarding the implications of this resurgence of a historical hegemon for the region. This is primarily due to the deep, historical interconnectedness between China and Southeast Asia, established through tribute, trade and migration. Uncertainty stems from a lack of consensus on the nature of the great power China represents and may become. Some suggest that China is the celestial kingdom of the past, seeking to reassert its former tributary relations with Southeast Asia, while others worry it will resemble the colonial powers of the imperial West, which seized control of the region, plundered resources and enslaved people.
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