How Do Smaller Countries in the Indo-Pacific Region Proactively Interact With China? An Introduction
What factors have contributed to the evolution of bilateral relations between the smaller states in the Indo-Pacific region and China? How much agency do the smaller nations have vis-à-vis the superpower candidate? This paper introduces the pentagonal model, the analytical framework of a joint study organized by the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development on these topics. The pentagonal model identifies five factor areas: domestic politics, economy, international relations (global), international relations (regional), and peace and security. Applying this common framework allows us to identify and compare the dynamics of the evolving relationships between China and the smaller states.
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