China has been trying to associate its present economic and political rise to a process that will enhance peace with its neighbors and its foreign relations. East Asia is thus chosen as the region where this peaceful rise will take place. With this purpose, China strives to borrow from its history of relationship with Southeast Asia, which, according to Beijing, was a peaceful experience. Therefore it would be justified to expect that a "China Rise" during the XXI century would not mean any sort of regional threat. Such a development is taking place while, at the same time, the countries members of Asean are seeking to strengthen their integration with the PRC.
China; peaceful rise; South East Asia