China in Asia

In recent years, China's rise is increasingly evident in Asia. In Southeast Asia, Beijing has combined economic, diplomatic, and security engagement to increase its influence in the region. However, China's recent assertiveness in the region, including its maritime claims in the South China Sea and its construction of controversial dams along the Mekong River, have led many Southeast Asian nations to engage more actively with the United States.


China has also increased its economic and diplomatic interactions with Taiwan, through more numerous official visits and the June 2010 signing of a historic trade liberalization pact, the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement. Nevertheless, China's continued military buildup against Taiwan has resulted in a balance that increasingly favors the mainland, especially in regard to Taiwan's air defense capabilities.

During the Commission's July 2010 fact-finding trip to Hong Kong, meetings with Hong Kong and U.S. government officials and private sector representatives highlighted the rising economic and political influence of China within Hong Kong. Hong Kong has benefited economically from its integration with mainland China, but concerns over political freedoms, rule of law, and pollution from the mainland continue to be of growing concern in the relationship.