Beyond Brinkmanship: The Implication of South China Sea Conflicts on China’s Soft Power in Southeast Asia

Abstract

While contemporary scholarly literatures on South China Sea conflicts have been dominated by hard power calculations, some other aspects remain under-researched. Rather underplayed in the existing literature is the question on the political implication of the conflicts on China’s soft power in the region. In responding to this issue, this article tries to carefully investigate the nature of the China’s soft power and the linkage between the increasing Chinese assertive measures in the South China Sea and the foundation of China’s soft power in the region. Through some cases of China’s skirmishes with Southeast Asian countries on the South China Sea between 2009 and 2012, this article argues that Beijing’s increasing hard power measures have induced growing threat perceptions in the region. This very context not only signals a distinct dissonance of Beijing’s image in Southeast Asia but also creates surging discontents and rejections to China’s role and political position in the region. Ultimately, China’s perceived inappropriate hard power measures affect its soft power, particularly in eroding the reputation of being a benign political entity as its source of soft power in Southeast Asia.

Norm Diffusion Beyond the West

“…Despite the recognition of ASEAN as a key agent of change, we admit its norm diffusion faces several uncertainties, particularly from increasingly tense US-China competition and the growing division of ASEAN into pro-China and pro-US camps. China's increased militarisation in the South China Sea has long stirred tensions with several ASEAN member states that reject its sweeping claims over this globally important sea trade route (Nandyatama, 2019). However, some ASEAN member states have apparently also signalled their affinity to China and echoed Beijing's narratives in the region as their countries have no viable alternative partner for development aid (Song et al, 2021).…”