China showcases its neighbourhood diplomacy across Southeast Asia

Chinese President Xi Jinping just finished his Southeast Asia tour to Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia. It was his first overseas trip this year and, notably, he chose neighbouring countries. I couldn’t help but think of the Chinese saying that a relative far away is not as helpful as a neighbour close by.

This idea has deeply influenced how people interact in Chinese society for thousands of years. My mother would agree with the saying. When I was less than a year old, she had to work on weekdays and my father was often away, so she regularly entrusted me to the care of our neighbours.

I don’t remember that time but, according to her, our neighbours were incredibly helpful – especially since my grandmother and other relatives lived hundreds of miles away and couldn’t come to help. This arrangement lasted quite a while, until my grandma eventually came to live with us.

China’s approach to foreign policy, particularly its diplomacy towards neighbouring countries, follows the principle of building friendships and partnerships. Beijing’s guideline for neighbourhood diplomacy is “amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness”. This isn’t a modern invention or temporary policy – it is a philosophy rooted in China’s civilisational DNA.

In traditional Chinese society, neighbours weren’t just the people next door – they were an extension of the family. During weddings, funerals, the harvest or hard times, people turned to those closest not just in geography but also in spirit.

This geographic interdependence planted the seeds of a world view that values a harmonious coexistence and coheres with the Confucian ideal of ren: benevolence, kindness and shared responsibility.

South China Morning Post