New vitality in peripheral diplomacy

China is emphasizing the importance of relations with its neighbors, and is seeking to build a community of shared destiny with them

In China's diplomacy, neighboring regions play a key role due to their geographical nearness and frequent interactions. Since the new leadership took office in 2012, it has paid special attention to peripheral diplomacy through a series of formal visits to Central, Southeast and South Asian nations, and raised new concepts concerning China's neighbors; it is clear there have been some changes in China's peripheral diplomatic strategy.

The first is the emphasis placed on the importance of neighboring regions rather than regional and global powers. An emerging power itself, China has to interact with big powers such as the United States, Japan, Russia and India, and its relations with its neighbors are intertwined with them.