China's Perspective on Korea's "India-Pacific Strategy" 

Chung Jae-hung, Gongkeyu

(jameschung@sejong.org, gongkeyu1@hotmail.com)

Research Fellow, Sejong-KT&G China Fellow,

The Sejong Institute​ 

■ Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy Announcement and Background

 - On December 28, 2022, Yoon Government announced a comprehensive regional engagement strategy as "Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy of Freedom, Peace, and Prosperity" to expand leadership in the international community through contributions appropriate to its national power.

 - After its inauguration, the Yoon government emphasized the value of freedom and solidarity of democracy, followed by three principles of freedom, peace, and prosperity with three cooperative rules of tolerance, trust, and reciprocity to create international order, rule of law, and cooperation in promoting human rights.

 - Currently, the Indo-Pacific region is home to 60% of the world's population, accounting for two-thirds of global economic growth over the past 5 years, and is directly related to Korea's economic interests as 90% of Korea's petroleum shipment and 30% of import and export passes Malaka, Taiwan Strait, and South China Sea and is beginning to create serious security issues due to North Korean Crisis.

■​ Comparison between Korea's "Indo-Pacific Strategy" Conceptual Category and Other Countries.

 - The Asia-Pacific concept was newly revised to the Indo-Pacific concept, and Korea's diplomatic scope has been greatly expanded from the existing nearby regions to the global category by using concepts and definitions similar to the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy.

 - From traditional economic, trade-relation sectors have been expanded to political-ideological sectors (Democratic, Freedom, Human rights, Values, etc.), high-tech economies (Semiconductor, AI, Advanced bio, Telecommunication, Renewable Energy, etc.), security sectors (Military, Nuclear non-proliferation, Counterterrorism, Marine security, etc.), and non-traditional security (public health, cyber security, climate change, energy security, food security, etc.)

 - Japan was the first to advocate the Indo-Pacific strategy, and the concept "Free and Open Indo-Pacific) has been gradually accepted by government officials and strategists in countries such as the U.S., Japan, France, and the U.K.

 - Korea was a country that announced the Indo-Pacific strategy at a relatively early time, covering its core contents in detail and comprehensively, and following in line with the "U.S. version of Indo-Pacific strategy" in terms of definitions and implications.

■​ Chinese Perspectives and Implications for Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy

 - The term "Indo-Pacific" used in Korea's first official foreign strategy concept is utilized by the U.S. to check China, which also promotes a pro-American or Korea-U.S. alliance away from Korea's traditional "Strategic Ambiguity" and "Balanced Diplomacy."

 - China recognizes and defines the U.S.'s "Indo-Pacific strategy" as an "Anti-China siege-containment strategy" that will trigger a new Cold War in the region, showing a completely different perspective and ideas from Korea.

 - China is taking a careful stance on the Yoon Government's Indo-Pacific strategy, but indirectly warned its possibility of worsening relations and conflict will be triggered if Korea participates in U.S.led Anti-China blockade networks such as QUAD, AUKUS, IPEF, CHIP4, Five Eyes defined as the word "small group."

 - Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy might be attractive from its looks, but it encompasses a wide range of regions, categories, and frameworks, insisting mid-long-term national strategy that requires concentration and choice.

 - Biden administration's "Indo-Pacific Strategy" will only be a political retort with no benefits, and if South Korea joins the frontline of Anti-China and Anti-North Korea, it will inevitably suffer economic and security losses.

 - Currently, the relationship between Korea and China requires one to admit one's differences while pursuing a common goal than to be harmonious and hold one's beliefs.

 - Recently, the Biden administration has a blueprint to launch a new Cold War against China with the recent Chinese spy balloon incident and crisis in the Taiwan Strait, possibly connecting a U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Strategy to develop into an Asian version of NATO that integrates anti-China basis countries.

 - After the war in Ukraine, regional competition between the U.S. and China, rapid changes in the international order, and uncertainties in the regional security situation began to have direct negative impacts on Korea-China relations.

 - Korea will be hard to maintain its "Security-U.S., Economy-China" policy against the China and U.S. in the rapidly changing international situation due to the new cold war atmosphere triggered by the U.S., Indo-Pacific strategy following the war in Ukraine.

 - Though Korea and China share different political systems and ideologies, the two countries have close interests in economic trade and is needed to expand and create new common interests and strengthen mutual trust.​