Page 37 - 63 NDC Inter.Stu.63
P. 37
Chapter 4
Analysis and Recommendations
Soft Power Preferences and liberal China. China does not try to
impose its political model over its allies,
America’s post–World War II however its success in improving the
successes have always been facilitated, lives of its citizens, challenges the idiom Implications to ASEAN
not harmed, by pragmatically managing that Western form of democracy always
complex realities, often relying on soft works best for every country at every level
35
power. Soft power is exponentially of development. Evolving Geo-Strategic Matrix in South China Sea:
used for providing peace by abiding by
international law. To effectively compete On the economic front, the global
with China, it has to be understood that financial crisis of 2007-2008, supposedly
China will not collapse in foreseeable US centric policies of President Donald
future. It boasts a vibrant, competitive Trump and Brexit fiasco has demonstrated
and self-sustaining economy. Its social that the Western political economy is
system is also successful and sustainable. vulnerable economic mismanagement
At the same time, China cannot sustain and impending disaster. Hence for a 27
fast rate of growth indefinitely. It is likely foreseeable future, United States and
to have the biggest but not the most China cannot defeat or dominate each
advanced or state-of-the-art economy. other decisively. They are likely to be
China is also likely to witness a fundamental involved in a peer competition, which does
change in its political and economic not require a war. They are to coexist in
structure. Its strategy of maximizing a complex world and be a better role
political control is at war with its economic model for its current and future allies.
36
strategy of market efficiency. This It will be a test for ASEAN nations to
change may result in a more authoritarian manage its best interests in this
China or it may result in a restrained multifaceted situation.
35 Joseph Samuel Nye Jr., “Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power (London: Basic
Books, 1990)
36 William H. Overholt, China’s Crisis of Success (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018)
