The Challenges and Opportunities of the ASEAN and the ROC in the Maritime Silk Road Strategy of the ROC

Kim, Taewan 金泰完

Associate Professor

2019

Taiwan Fellowship Scholar

Field of Study：

No：

Date：2020/08/27

The Maritime Silk Road Strategy (MSRS) is one of two main pillars of the Belt and Road Initiative of China. The South China Sea, which is surrounded by ASEAN countries, is the key area of the MSRS because it provides a crucial link between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Therefore, China has to achieve a dominating influence over the Sea in order to successfully perform the MSRS. This strategy provides challenges and opportunities to ASEAN countries and Taiwan. These countries are put in a difficult position due to their territorial disputes with China on the Sea and need for economic investment from Beijing for national economic prosperity. This research scrutinizes what the MSRS exactly is on the South China Sea and its implications to ASEAN and Taiwan using my politico-economic model and China’s national goals. Strategic suggestions for ASEAN, Taiwan, and China follow. These countries should increase the opportunities and decrease the challenges that may arise from China’s MSRS. In the economic dimension, countries should capitalize on economic opportunities by cooperating productively and effectively with China by using the MSRS. At the same time, they should sustain diversification of their trade partners so as not to depend too much on the Chinese economy. In the political dimension, intensifying intra-regional cooperation and augmenting partnerships with the U.S., Japan, and relevant nations of the Indo-Pacific rim would contribute to discouraging China’s political ambition.