Shaping China's Security Environment: The Role of the People's Liberation Army

摘要

In their 1999 study, Kenneth Allen and Eric McVadon said that the PLA has had a role in 'shaping and implementing' China's foreign policies by pursuing the following goals: ' To shape the international security environment in support of key Chinese national security objectives; ' To improve political and military relations with foreign countries; ' To enhance China's military and defense industry modernization; ' To provide military assistance to countries in the developing world; and, ' To acquire knowledge in modern military doctrine, operations, training, military medicine, administration, and a host of noncombat related areas.99 The PLA has not been the principal actor in China's relations with Southeast Asian nations. Southeast Asian nations, meanwhile, hedge their security interests by maintaining good relations with China, but would not want to exclude the United States or Australia from the region. Nor would Southeast Asian nations 'buy into' an American-led containment policy against China. The peaceful rise of China and its economic strength is consistent with the interests of Southeast Asian states and Australia. The hedge is needed, however, because the PLA is the backup for the legal claims of China in the South China Sea. Thus, China's public diplomacy is successful, but its military power is enough of a latent threat that Southeast Asian nations still hedge their security.