The Evolvement of China’s East Asian Strategy

　　Abstract: East Asia is important to China’s grand strategy. With China’s rise and the institutionalization of interstate cooperation in the region, China’s East Asian strategy becomes a focus of interest to the whole world, especially that of the great powers. The paper analyzes the past and present relations between China and East Asia, and summarizes gains and losses of China’s regional strategy. The paper argues that China is becoming a more responsible stakeholder in the region, and has undertaken constructive and common interests-based cooperation with other regional powers. This has providee firm underpinnings for the future development of its regional strategy. With China’s increasing participation in regional cooperation, and with the buildup of its regional influence, China has gradually realized the importance of seeking and broadening common interests between itself and the region. In future, China should push forward more comprehensive cooperation in East Asia, and engage itself in the construction of the common interest-based East Asian Community. The paper suggests that China should commit to greater innovations in its thoughts and strategic roadmap; central to this is to achieve a form of open regionalism that is based on a matrix of Neo-unilateralism, Neo-bilateralism, and Neo-multilateralism approaches.