Ｃｈｉｎａ　ａｎｄ　ＡＳＥＡＮ　Ｃｏ－ｂｕｉｌｄ　ａ　ｐｅａｃｅｆｕｌ　ａｎｄ　ｐｒｏｓｐｅｒｏｕｓ.docVIP

Ｃｈｉｎａ　ａｎｄ　ＡＳＥＡＮ　Ｃｏ－ｂｕｉｌｄ　ａ　ｐｅａｃｅｆｕｌ　ａｎｄ　ｐｒｏｓｐｅｒｏｕｓ 　　( Director of Southeast Asia and Oceania Office, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations) 　　 　　This year marks the 40th anniversary of thefounding of ASEAN, and the 4th China ASEAN Expowhich will be held in Nanning, China can be seen as abirthday gift contributed by China to ASEAN. At thishistoric moment, it undoubtedly bears pragmaticsignificance to have a review of the history of ASEANin the past 40 years, to identify the role played by theSoutheast Asia in Chinas diplomatic strategy and tofurther advance the strategic partnership betweenChina and ASEAN for peace and prosperity. 　　 　　Southeast Asia:A fulcrum in the neighboringdiplomatic strategy of China 　　 　　China 　　is 　　surrounded 　　geographically 　　bySoutheast Asia, Northeast Asia, Central Asia as wellas South Asia, where a diversity of countries ofdifferent sizes and a host of historical and currentconflicts as well as various interest groups areentangled to form a potential touch and go. Therelations with its neighbors for China are actually morecomplicated than what they seem. China has to protectits core interests and meanwhile take cares of theinterests of its neighbors. Such situation may belikened to a dance with a silk ribbon, where the dancerand the silk ribbon can bring out the best of each otherif they go well with each other but where the dancercan fall over the ribbon or be bound by it. 　　 　　As a result, in the neighboring diplomacy ofChina, there must be a fulcrum which can ensure thatthe dancer can stand steadily, bring out his skills andhave room of maneuver. (According to the definition offulcrum given by dictionary: 　　the point on which alever turns or providing supports：or the crucial point orthe core of something.)Standing steady it mustntbe rickety to rid the dancer of his balance, havingroom of maneuver moveable――it mustnt be stiff to limitthe dancer, bringing out the skills -it should not bepassive in r