TTLV: Thailand's response to the rise of China from 2001 to 2016

INFORMATION ABOUT THE MASTER'S THESIS

1. Student's full name:Nguyen Thi Minh Ly               

2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: December 6, 1976

4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Decision No. 2415/2015/QD-XHNV, dated October 13, 2015, of the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, recognizing the student.

6. Changes in the training process: None

7. Thesis topic name:Thailand's response to the rise of China from 2001 to 2016.

8. Major: International Relations Code: 60.31.02.06

9. Scientific instructor:Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thu My- Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences.

10. Summary of thesis results:

This thesis focuses on researching the planning basis, content of countermeasures, and solutions that Thailand has implemented to adapt to the rise of China in order to benefit from and mitigate the negative impacts of a rising China on its security and development. It examines the factors shaping Thailand's countermeasures to the rise of China; Thailand's countermeasures to the rise of China: content, solutions, and implementation; and provides commentary on Thailand's countermeasures to the rise of China.

Numerous studies have addressed the bilateral and multilateral relationship between Thailand and China, and vice versa. However, most of these studies are primarily factual and offer commentary on the relationship between the two countries in specific aspects. Very few delve into Thailand's policies toward China during the period covered in this research.

11. Practical application:

As a southern neighbor of China, Vietnam has been and continues to be most directly and strongly affected by China's rise. Over the years, the Vietnamese Party and State have actively sought necessary countermeasures to adapt to China's rise. Compared to Thailand, Vietnam's strategy for dealing with China's rise is more complex. This is because Vietnam and China have sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea, and both countries share ideological interests.

Nevertheless, Thailand's initial successes in responding to China's rise are worth considering for Vietnam in formulating its policies and relations with China in the future.

12. Further research directions:

The rise of China has profoundly impacted global security and development. With this rise, the unipolar world order led by the United States, which has existed since the end of the Cold War, is facing serious challenges. The center of global power has been and continues to shift from the Euro-Atlantic region to the Asia-Pacific region.

Among ASEAN member states, Thailand has strived to find ways to transform China's rise into an opportunity for development while mitigating its negative impacts. Studying Thailand's strategies remains an interesting and relevant research topic.

13. Published works related to the thesis:

- Article "Thailand's Countermeasures Against the Rise of China," Foreign Affairs Information Magazine, Issue 160, July 2017.

- Article "A Brief Overview of Thailand-China Relations," Foreign Affairs Magazine, Issue 94, August 2017.

INFORMATION ON MASTER'S THESIS

1. Full name: Nguyen Thi Minh Ly 2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: December 6, 1976 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Admission decision number: 2415/2015/QD-XHNV Dated October 13, 2015, of the Principal of University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University

6. Changes in academic process: None

7. Official thesis title: Thailand's foreign policy towards China's rise from 2001 to 2016

8. Major: International Relations Code: 60.31.02.06

9. Supervisors: ASSoc. Pros. Dr. Nguyen Thu My, Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences.

10. Summary of the findings of the thesis:

The thesis focuses on the formulation basis and content of the foreign policy as well as the solutions that Thailand has implemented to adapt to the rise of China to benefit and limit negative implications from a rising China for their security and development. Factors contributing to Thailand's foreign policy in regards of the rise of China: content, solution and implementation; Assessment of Thailand's foreign policy in regards of China's rise.

There are a large number of researches on the bilateral and multilateral relations between Thailand and China and vice-versa. However, those researches provide information from reference materials and write about the bilateral relations in specific fields. Only a small number of researches give insights into Thailand's foreign policy towards China in the period mentioned in the thesis.

11. Practical applicability, if any:

As a southern neighbor of China, Vietnam has been directly and fully effected by the rising of China. For years, the Party and Government have actively seeking necessary policies to adapt to China's rise. In comparison to Thailand, our process of foreign policy making regarding China's rise is more complicated because of the territorial disputes between Vietnam and China on South China Sea, Vietnam and China have the same political system.

However, the success of Thailand in dealing with China's rise is such an example for Vietnam to look into in our process of making policies regarding relations with China in upcoming time.

12. Further research directions, if any:

The rise of China has a strong impact on the world's security and development. The uni-polar world order led by the US since the end of the Cold War is now under a serious challenge. The center of the world power has been shifted from Europe - Atlantic to Asia Pacific region.

ASEAN member states, Thailand has put lots of efforts in seeking a foreign policy that makes China's rise an opportunity for their development as well as plays down negative implications from that. Researching on Thailand's foreign policy is such interesting and topical work.

13. Thesis-related publications:

- Thailand's foreign policy towards China's rise, External Information, No (160)7/2017.

- Thailand – China relationship, External Relations Review, No (94) August 2017.