Complicated regional situation

Editor's Note: At a recent symposium hosted by the National Institute of International Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, some Chinese scholars shared their views on China's security situation in 2013. Excerpts of their speeches are below:

One of the most impressive breakthroughs in 2013 must be the concept of a "new major power relationship". It means China has found its role in the world, as well as demonstrating its willingness to actively cooperate in shaping and maintaining international relations.

Of course, major power refers not only to the United States, but the focus of China's new major power relationship is its relationship with the US. President Xi Jinping has laid out a clear vision for the "new major power relationship". In his words, the essential features of this model include no conflict or confrontation, mutual respect and win-win cooperation.

The idea came in time. An obvious fact of the past several years is that China is approaching the US in capacity, but their political divergences, even ideological conflicts are also becoming evident. Besides, unexpected incidents, such as the case of Edward Snowden, could also have negative influences on their relationship, thus harming its stability.

The new major power relationship is also deeply interrelated with domestic affairs. Thirty-five years ago, China launched its reform and opening-up and adjusted relations with the US. Today China is about to start another round of reform, but instead of offering full support the US holds more diverse attitudes and China is facing a more complicated task of adjusting major power relations to serve its domestic policy.

Therefore, the uncertainties in the new major power relationship between China and the US might come from domestic policies - that will decide whether the developments of the two will converge or diverge.

Zhao Minghao, a member of The Chahar Institute

As China's southwestern neighborhood as well as its frontier, the Indochina peninsula is of special importance to China's strategy and interests.

However, an ongoing wave of democratization plus intervention from Western powers is turning many residents more pro-West and they have become suspicious of China's rise. As a result, China faces a complicated situation in the peninsula.

Some local residents are increasingly turning against their governments, and as China always maintains good relations with these governments, some local residents oppose China. Certain Western non-governmental organizations have made use of the sentiment to accuse China of "exploitation" and "colonization" in the peninsula, thus adding to the pressure on China.

People's negative sentiments toward China have to a certain extent influenced their governments' decisions. Under public pressure it is often difficult for the governments to do anything in China's favor.

The situation is made more complicated by the cross-border security problems with countries like Myanmar and Vietnam. Illegal trade, illegal labor, even illegal cross-border marriages have all worsened China's security conditions in the region. Therefore, China might face multi-security challenges in the Indochina peninsula and it needs to prepare itself for these challenges.

Song Qingrun, a researcher with the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceanian Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations