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China Uses Money, Diplomacy to Push Back Against US in Southeast Asia

Ralph Jennings

   TAIPEI - The Chinese foreign ministerWang Yihas wrapped up his second
   series of meetingsso far this year with Southeast Asia leaders to
   discuss vaccine distribution, help with post-pandemic recovery and
   other offers that experts say could sway countries in the pivotal
   subregion toward China and away from growing U.S. influence.

   Wang met last week in China with counterparts from Singapore, Malaysia,
   Indonesia and the Philippines,China'sstate-ownedmedia, Xinhua News
   Agencyreported. China "stands for the interests of many developing,
   small and medium-sized countries,"Xinhua quoted him saying.Thegroupof
   countriesWang referenceswould cover much of Southeast Asia's 655
   million-population spread over 10 nations.

   The foreign minister had visited Brunei, Indonesia,Myanmarand the
   Philippines in January just beforeU.S.President Joe Biden took office.
   China pledged then to help Southeast Asian nations with COVID-19
   vaccines,infrastructureand trade.

   China hopes to shine again, analysts say,in a part of Asia where most
   governmentsdo nottake sides in the superpower relationship after a
   spate of U.S. moves aimed at controlling China's expansion in a sea
   disputed by four Southeast Asian countries.Countries along the Mekong
   River fret separately over China's control of water flows from its
   upstream dams.

   "Foreign Minister Wang Yi is trying to send the strongest signals that
   China remains the partner within the region," said Stephen Nagy, senior
   associate professor of politics and international studies at
   International Christian University in Tokyo. "They really would like to
   send the strongest of signals that Southeast Asian countries should be
   deferent to Beijing before they are deferent to Washington."

   The heat is on, as U.S. Secretary of State AntonyBlinkenand Pentagon
   chief Lloyd Austin held talks last month with their Japanese
   counterparts in Tokyo to reaffirm partnerships as China grows more
   assertive. Days later,BlinkenandAustinmet the foreign and defense
   ministers of South Korea.

   U.S. officials say they sent Navy ships to the South China Sea 10 times
   last year, adding B-52 bombers at least once, as a way of showing the
   disputed waterwayremainsopen to international use rather than exclusive
   Chinese control.

   Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines,Taiwanand Vietnam contest Beijing's
   claims to about 90% of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer seathat
   isprized for natural resources. China has the strongest armed forces
   among the six claimants, prompting the others to look toward the United
   States for support.

   Wang told his Singaporean counterpart last week the two countries
   should jointly oppose"vaccine nationalism."Xinhua reported. The term
   describes governments that make deals with pharmaceutical companies to
   treat their own populations at the expense of other countries. China
   has already sent its Sinovac vaccines to Indonesia and the Philippines.

   Southeast Asian economies that slumped last year due to lack of tourism
   and export demand hope China can bring relief, experts say.

   Washington has offered COVID-19 relief aid to Southeast Asia, including
   $18.3 million in emergency health and humanitarianassistancein the
   first quarter of 2020. But the U.S. government lacks an equivalent of
   China's trillion-plus dollar Belt-and-Road Initiative for building
   transport infrastructure throughout Eurasia through 2027--including
   projects in some of the countries that sent ministers last week to see
   Wang.

   Wang told his Malaysian counterpart last week that China would offer
   "high-quality" Belt and Road cooperation to bring more "tangible
   benefits" during the pandemic recovery, the Chinese foreign ministry
   website says.

   "China just needs to deliver on its Belt and Road projects in all these
   countries and that's enough to prevent the economies from going under,"
   said Alan Chong, associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of
   International Studies in Singapore.

   "The Chinese market was singularly unharmed" last year, Chong added.
   Much of the world economy was shaken by anti-pandemic business
   closures.

   Southeast Asian countries will look to China more than to the United
   States for any helpin working with one of their members,Myanmar, after
   a February coup and violent protests, Chong said. Wang told his
   Singapore counterpart that China supports wider Southeast Asian efforts
   to "resume stability in Myanmar,"Xinhuareported. Chinese business
   interests in Myanmar go back decades.

   Officials in Southeast Asia further hope China will reopen to travel,
   including for students, saidSharimanLockman, senior foreign policy and
   security studies analyst with the Institute of Strategic and
   International Studies in Malaysia.

   Malaysia and the Philippinesprobably raisedthe South China Sea issue
   with Wang last week "because it's one of those things that you have to
   mention,"Lockman said.

   "Diplomacy is partly form," he said. "If you don't mention it, he will
   think you don't care about it and they can get away with things, so you
   have to say 'oh, by the way.'"

   The Chinese foreign minister for his part probably "soft pedaled" any
   past actions that make China look like a "great power,"Chong said.

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