China’s Wedge Strategy in Southeast Asia: An Analysis of Strategic Objectives and Regional Implications

Introduction
In recent decades, Southeast Asia has emerged as one of the most important geopolitical and geostrategic arenas in the world. Among the various actors, China — as a rising power — has shown particular interest in this region and has sought to consolidate its strategic position through economic, political, and security instruments. One of China’s key strategies in this regard is the Wedge strategy. Beijing has recognized that despite the geopolitical and economic significance of Southeast Asian countries, they lack sufficient internal cohesion to adopt unified positions in response to security challenges. This situation has provided China with an opportunity to create and deepen divisions among these states, thereby preventing the formation of a united front against itself. The central question of this research is: What are China’s strategic objectives behind its Wedge strategy in Southeast Asia, and what regional consequences does this approach entail? The research hypothesis posits that by employing this strategy, China has weakened regional integration in Southeast Asia, increased the costs of balancing 
against itself, and consolidated its strategic influence in the region’s security–economic dynamics.
 
Methods
This study adopts a qualitative, descriptive–analytical research approach. The data have been collected mainly from secondary sources, including official governmental and international documents, research and security institution reports, academic articles, media analyses, and relevant case studies. The analysis methods include content analysis and document analysis, which help identify China’s strategic patterns, priorities, and foreign policy tools. The conceptual framework of the study is based on the Wedge strategy, used to explain China’s goals and motivations in the region.
 
Findings
China’s Wedge strategy in Southeast Asia has manifested in various forms. One prominent example is the division among regional states regarding the South China Sea dispute. By pursuing this strategy, China aims to dismantle the united front of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) against its territorial claims. Another illustration is the rift between the Philippines and the United States. At certain points, China has sought to strengthen trade and investment relations with the Philippines — a country that maintains close ties with the U.S. and is one of the main claimants in the South China Sea — in order to encourage Manila to reduce its military cooperation with Washington, its main security ally. Furthermore, China consistently tries to place regional states in a position where they must choose between Beijing (as an economic partner) and Washington (as a security partner). For instance, China frequently emphasizes the principle of non-interference in internal affairs (the “Beijing Consensus”), which appeals to non-democratic regimes or states with human rights issues — such as Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam — since, in contrast, the U.S. often promotes democracy and human rights (the “Washington Consensus”). This creates a divide between countries that prioritize “internal stability at any cost” and those aligned with Western norms. Another manifestation of China’s Wedge strategy appears through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Within this framework, China has invested billions of dollars in Southeast Asian countries, creating what has been termed a “debt trap.” States caught in this trap become economically — and consequently politically and strategically — dependent on Beijing, losing autonomy in their foreign policy decisions. For instance, countries such as Laos and Cambodia, which owe significant debts to China, are particularly vulnerable to Chinese pressure during regional decision-making processes. China’s ability to “forgive” or “restructure” its debts functions as a tool for political leverage.
 
Conclusions
The analysis of China’s Wedge strategy in Southeast Asia indicates that this approach is not a temporary tactic but rather part of Beijing’s broader grand strategy to solidify its position as the dominant regional power. By simultaneously leveraging economic, political, and security instruments, China seeks to weaken intra-regional cohesion and prevent the emergence of an effective consensus against its actions in the South China Sea or against Southeast Asia’s potential strategic alignment with the United States.