China’s recent rapid economic growth has drawn global attention to its foreign policy, which increasingly has had an impact on world politics. In contrast with China’s long-standing preference for bilateralism or unilateralism in foreign policy, recent decades have seen changes in the PRC’s attitude and in its declaratory and operational policies, with a trend toward the accepting and advocating of multilateralism in international affairs. Whilst China’s involvement has been primarily in the economic arena, for example, participation in the World Trade Organization and ASEAN Plus Three, it has more recently expanded into international security institutions, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

This book records, analyzes, and attempts to conceptualize, this phenomenal development in Chinese foreign policy and its impact on international relations, with the emphasis on China’s active participation in multilaterally-oriented regional security regimes. Written by an impressive team of international scholars, this book is the first collective effort in the field of China studies and international relations to look at China’s recent turn to multilateralism in foreign affairs. It will appeal to students and scholars of Chinese politics and foreign policy, security studies and international relations.

Contents

Introduction; 1. International Multilateralism with Chinese Characteristics: Attitude Changes, Policy Imperatives, and Regional Impacts, Guoguang Wu and Helen Lansdowne

Part I: Global Concerns; 2. China’s New Internationalism, Lowell Dittmer; 3. Racing to Integrate, or Cooperating to Compete? Liberal and Realist Interpretations of China’s New Multilateralism, Thomas G. Moore; 4. New Player in the Game: China, Arms Control, and Multilateralism, Jing-dong Yuan

Part II: Regional Security; 5. China’s Multilateralism and Regional Order, Michael Yahuda; 6. China and the North Korean Nuclear Problem: DipInitiative, Strategic Complexities, and Relevance of Security Multilateralism, Yinhong Shi; 7. China and SCO: Towards a New Type of Interstate Relations, Jianwei Wang, 8. Chinese and ASEAN Responses to the US Regional Maritime Security Initiative, Gaye Christoffersen; 9. Maritime Security and Multilateral Interactions between China and Its Neighbours, Keyuan Zou

Part III: Peaceful Rise?; 10. Intentions on Trial: ‘Peaceful Rise’ and Sino-ASEAN Relations, Yongnian Zheng and Sow Keat Tok; 11. Peaceful Rise? Soft Power? Human Rights in China’s New Multilateralism,Jeremy Paltiel; 12. China’s Petroleum Diplomacy: Hu Jintao’s Biggest Challenge in Foreign and Security Policy, Willy Lam ; 13. China’s Multilateralism and Its Impacts on Cross-Strait Relations: A View from Taipei, Dong-Ching Day; 14. An Exception to the Growing Emphasis on Multilateralism: The Case of China’s Policy toward Hong Kong, Jean-Philippe Béja; Conclusion; 15. Multiple Levels of Mul...