Dr. Zhou Shixin is a research fellow of Institute of Foreign Policy Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. His current research fields are Southeast Asia studies and China's foreign policy.
Despite the forceful trade approach of the U.S. and its impact on the global multilateral free trade system, the RCEP has made significant progress on a variety of economic and trade deals, ultimately hoping to conclude negotiations by 2019.
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank can boost Asian economic development, wealth creation and infrastructure connectivity without becoming an instrument of Chinese influence.
That U.S. eases ban on weapons sales to Vietnam shows it still seeks to maintain its dominance by contributing to the deterioration of security in Southeast Asia and East Asia.
The recent Southeast Asian visits by Chinese leaders demonstrate the importance of Southeast Asia for China, and are advancing its good-neighbor policy.
The individual drives and shared ambitions of the major actors in the ASEAN Regional Forum make for a fascinating cocktail of regional and global intrigue.
Japan is focused on building strong economic ties between ASEAN member states and Tokyo, but Shinzo Abe's new government will not be able to contain China's foreign policy goals.
Cooperation in economic fields strengthens political and security confidence. Over the past ten years, the Boao Forum has effectively promoted mutual trust between different parties.