Author(s) :

Caroline OBIAGELI EMEKA-OGBONNA, PhD, Ntagu MIRACLE PROMISE.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

This paper critically examines the strategic role of China as a great power within intergovernmental organisations (IGOs), with particular emphasis on its interaction with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Drawing exclusively on secondary sources, the study utilises a qualitative content analysis of policy documents, academic literature, and online reports to assess China's influence on ASEAN's cohesion, decision-making processes, and regional integration efforts. Recognising China's emergence as a significant power in Asia, the article delves into how China’s interactions, as interpreted through a neorealist lens, have shaped ASEAN's internal dynamics. While China's contributions, particularly in infrastructure, have been instrumental in fostering development, for instance, supporting hydropower expansion in some ASEAN nations, its more assertive actions, notably concerning the South China Sea disputes, have simultaneously generated considerable geopolitical strain. This dual impact, contributing to development while also creating fragmentation, highlights the complex nature of China's influence on ASEAN’s cohesion and its decision-making processes. The paper concludes by highlighting the strategic implications of China's role for the future of regional governance in Southeast Asia. Keywords: Intergovernmental Organisations, Neorealism, Great Powers, Regional Integration, South China Sea, Belt and Road Initiative

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