Strategic Multilateralism in China’s Foreign Policy. Case Studies: ASEAN Regional Forum and the Dispute for the Spratly Islands

In 1991, Qian Chen, then Minister of Foreign Relations of the People’s Republic of China, attended the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. This event set the beginning of China’s opening to multilateralism in the region. After the financial crisis of 1997, this trend became accentuated when Beijing took on a role that involved more leadership and initiative in multilateral bodies. In this article we are interested in exploring the role China plays in strategic multilateral regional initiatives.