With its rapid rise after the Cold War, mainland China regards a peaceful and stable global environment not only as a stabilizer for development, but also as an important foundation for the country to promote connection and integration with the international politicaleconomic system. Towards ASEAN, Beijing's policy under Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao promoted the concept of a “harmonious worldview” to counter the impression of a “China threat”; under Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, Beijing promotes the concept of a “community of common destiny.” Beijing hopes to improve its relations with ASEAN countries through bilateral and multilateral approaches under the policy of “good neighbor diplomacy,” in order to reduce security threats and construct a regional environment favorable for economic development. However, Beijing has actively sought various bilateral and multilateral initiatives with ASEAN and the establishment of bilateral free trade agreements. With traditional security problems not easy to resolve, mainland China hopes to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN in the realm of non-traditional security. This paper aims to provide an explanation and review of mainland China's policy toward ASEAN countries and a rough sketch of future developments.
