• The objective is to socialise China into accepting regional norms and
practices
• It must be added that while ASEAN acknowledges that SEA cannot avoid
big powers like China and the US, there are always differences among
them in approaching these external states
• Some like those in Indochina may pay more respect to China; others like
those in the Philippines, and more recently Vietnam, may place more
emphasis on US support; last but not least, there are always some like
those in Indonesia who would like to steer a middle cause between