The Evolution of China's Political Dialogue with Southeast Asian States in the Context of Regional Security

• Published in: Право и политика no. 8; pp. 90 - 103
• Main Author: Chen, Yung Ta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.08.2025
• ISSN: 2454-0706; 2454-0706
• DOI: 10.7256/2454-0706.2025.8.75464

The subject of this research is the evolution of political dialogue between the People's Republic of China and the Southeast Asian states in the context of ensuring sustainable regional security. The object of analysis is the complex interaction between China and ASEAN, as well as individual countries of the region, within bilateral and multilateral negotiation formats. The author examines the key stages of the dialogue’s transformation from the 1970s to the present day, including the formation of institutional foundations, the growth of economic and political interdependence, the escalation of territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and the digitalization of diplomatic mechanisms after the COVID-19 pandemic. Special attention is paid to the impact of the "Community of Shared Future" concept and the Belt and Road Initiative on regional security processes in Southeast Asia. The methodology is based on Barry Buzan's theory of regional security and the complex interdependence framework of Keohane and Nye, using comparative political and institutional analysis. The scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive reconstruction of the stages of China's political dialogue with Southeast Asia, linked to the region’s evolving security architecture. The study reveals long-term trends and structural shifts in regional diplomacy, demonstrating that political dialogue has both adapted to and shaped the parameters of regional security. It also shows that economic interdependence and institutional mechanisms have mitigated the risk of conflict escalation despite persistent tensions in the South China Sea. The research contributes to the theoretical and applied analysis of China’s foreign policy and offers grounds for forecasting regional cooperation prospects amid growing global competition in Southeast Asia.