جایگاه سازمان‌های بین‌المللی و چندجانبه‌گرایی منطقه‌ای در راهبرد خیزش صلح‌آمیز چین

Introduction
The relative decline of U.S. hegemony and the ongoing transformation of the international order have created a new strategic environment in which China seeks to achieve its “peaceful rise” through a combination of regional engagement and multilateral diplomacy. East Asia, as the most dynamic and contested geopolitical arena, represents the central platform for this transformation. China’s leadership has recognised that sustaining economic growth and projecting influence require a stable, rule-based regional environment. Consequently, rather than pursuing unilateral dominance or military expansion, Beijing has adopted multilateralism as a strategic tool to manage tensions, shape norms, and expand its legitimacy as a responsible great power. This study explores how China utilises international organisations and regional multilateral frameworks to advance its regional hegemony and reshape the existing order. It specifically analyses the political, economic, and security dimensions of China’s institutional participation and how these mechanisms contribute to the consolidation of a new, China-centred regional order in the Asia-Pacific.
 
Methods
This research employs a descriptive–analytical methodology based primarily on secondary sources, including diplomatic statements, institutional charters, policy papers, and economic datasets. The analytical framework combines institutional and functional analysis to examine the dynamics of China’s engagement with regional multilateral institutions such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The study evaluates China’s use of institutional balancing—a strategy aimed at redistributing regional influence without direct confrontation—as a key element of its foreign policy. By comparing China’s initiatives in both economic and security-based multilateral frameworks, the study identifies the mechanisms through which Beijing converts participation into influence and legitimacy. In addition, the research contextualises China’s multilateral strategy within the broader theoretical debate on the evolution of regional orders and the transition from unipolarity to multipolarity.
 
Findings
The findings reveal that China’s multilateral diplomacy operates on three mutually reinforcing levels. First, institutional balancing allows China to offset U.S. dominance through regional mechanisms. By engaging deeply in ASEAN-led forums such as ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and RCEP, Beijing promotes a new model of regional governance that limits U.S. influence while avoiding open confrontation. This institutional presence enables China to act as a norm entrepreneur, shaping rules and procedures consistent with its strategic interests. Second, China’s multilateral engagement has generated a pattern of asymmetric interdependence with its neighbours. Through trade agreements, investment, and infrastructure projects—particularly under the Belt and Road Initiative—Beijing has created a web of economic dependencies that discourage regional actors from joining anti-China coalitions. The establishment of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in 2020 exemplifies how China has used multilateral economic frameworks to consolidate its position at the heart of regional trade networks, covering nearly one-third of global GDP and population. Third, China’s participation in regional security dialogues, especially within the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit, contributes to confidence-building and threat perception management. By promoting principles such as “common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security,” China presents itself as a constructive actor committed to regional stability. This approach serves to mitigate the “China threat theory” and enhance the credibility of its peaceful rise narrative. In this sense, multilateralism functions not only as a diplomatic tool but also as a form of institutional soft power, allowing China to legitimise its rise and shape the strategic environment through consensus rather than coercion. Furthermore, China’s multilateral activism underscores a broader transformation in global governance. By prioritising regionalism and shared prosperity, Beijing redefines the norms of international cooperation from a state-centric, Western-led model toward a more inclusive and pluralistic order grounded in mutual benefit and respect for sovereignty.
 
Conclusions
The study concludes that regional multilateralism constitutes a central pillar of China’s peaceful rise strategy. Through systematic participation in international and regional organisations, China has institutionalised its influence, reduced the risks of conflict, and cultivated legitimacy as a cooperative power. Multilateralism allows Beijing to balance against U.S. dominance indirectly while strengthening economic interdependence and diplomatic networks across Asia. This evolution signifies not merely a tactical adjustment but a strategic reorientation toward norm-based power projection, where institutions become the principal medium of geopolitical competition. China’s model demonstrates that the pursuit of regional leadership can proceed through inclusion rather than exclusion, through dialogue rather than deterrence. Ultimately, the findings suggest that China’s approach heralds a gradual shift from a U.S.-centred unipolar system to a multipolar Asian order founded on collective prosperity and cooperative security. For regional actors such as Iran and other emerging economies, China’s experience highlights the enduring relevance of multilateral engagement and institutional diplomacy as viable instruments for safeguarding national interests within an evolving international order.