Comparing U.S. and Chinese Relational Power in Southeast Asia
Co-Principal Investigators: Alvin Camba, University at Denver and Covell Meyskens, Naval Postgraduate School
Years of Award: 2024-2026
Managing Service Agency: Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Project Description:
How do the United States and China—major global powers and competitors—expand their power and influence in regions of shared strategic interest? This project will study US and Chinese relational power in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam from 2013 to 2022. These three Southeast Asian countries are crucial US allies and have been targeted by Chinese foreign influence operations in recent decades. Our project aims to redefine the instruments of power in relational terms, emphasizing the ability to wield power “without necessarily being in a hierarchical relationship”. Our study of relational power focuses on the exercise and mobilization of power, examining how the US and China build relationships and wield influence within countries of strategic interest, and how actors in these countries respond in kind.