Contest for Influence in Asia-Pacific Region

摘要

China has been courting its neighbors, although the Chinese did not coin the phrase "soft power," they have exercised it with consummate skill. Only the U.S. and Japan have expressed concern and asked China what its intentions are regarding its increased military spending and its firing of a missile into space to shoot down one of its own satellites. Chinas other neighbors appear unconcerned, a measure of its soft-power success. Most of these countries are focused on Chinas growth, anticipating the economic benefits in trade and investment it will bring them. For example, Chinas voracious appetite for energy and other natural resources is feeding an economic boom in Australia, and, like other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Australia wants Chinas growth to continue without disruption by conflicts over Taiwan.