站在历史的新起点上:新时代中国对东南亚外交的机遇与挑战

China’s Diplomacy towards Southeast Asia in the New Era: New Ideas,New Opportunities and New Challenges

东南亚地区位于海陆丝绸之路的交汇点上,是中国通向南太平洋地区、印度洋地区和欧洲的重要通道,在中国周边外交中占有重要的地位。中华人民共和国成立后,东南亚地区先后成为中国打破外交孤立的重要突破口和服务改革开放的重要外交阵地。中共十八大以来,随着“一带一路”倡议、命运共同体理念的提出,中国周边外交的地位获得战略性提升。上述倡议和理念的提出不仅意味着中国经济实力的增强,也标志着中国作为全球和区域治理的重要参与者,在国际政治议程设置和规则制定过程中占据着重要的地位,成为国际体系中名副其实的大国。东南亚地区是中国周边外交新理念和新举措的率先践行地,在推进“一带一路”建设和构建中国与周边国家命运共同体的进程中具有不可替代的战略地位。对东南亚的外交为中国周边外交贡献了诸多有益的经验总结,也为进一步推进周边外交提出了新的问题。2020年是中国与东南亚开启外交关系70周年,在历史的新起点上,中国面对的不仅有机遇,还有中美战略竞争加剧的挑战。中国的东南亚外交既要从历史中汲取有益经验,更要与时俱进,以新的理念把握新的机遇,应对新的挑战。

Located at the intersection of the Maritime and Land Silk Road,Southeast Asia is an important passage for China to the South Pacific,the Indian Ocean and Europe and plays an important role in China’s neighboring diplomacy.After the founding of New China,it has become an important breakthrough for China to break diplomatic isolation in Southeast Asia and also an essential diplomatic position for reform and opening up.As the Belt and Road Initiative and the concept of the Community with Shared Future for Mankind have been put forward since China’s 18th National People’s Congress,the status of peripheral diplomacy has been strategically upgraded.The above-mentioned initiative and concept not only mean the rise of China’s economy,but also mark the fact that as an important participant in regional and global governance,China has become to a rule-maker of the international political agenda and lived up to its reputation as a great power in the world.The Southeast Asian region is the testing ground of China’s new diplomatic ideas and measures and plays an irreplaceable strategic role in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative and building a community with shared future for China and the neighboring countries.China’s diplomacy to Southeast Asia has contributed a lot of useful experience to China’s peripheral diplomacy,and also raised new issues for further advancing peripheral diplomacy.2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-ASEAN diplomatic relations.At the beginning of a new history,China is not only faced with opportunities but also challenges from the intensifying strategic competition between China and the U.S..China’s diplomacy towards Southeast Asia should not only learn from the history,but also move forward with the times,to face the new opportunities and challenges with new ideas.