BEYOND SOFT POWER: THE TRANSFORMATION OF SINO-THAI DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

Abstract

This article explores the PRC’s strategy of transitioning the foreign policy stance of Thailand from that of a traditional U.S. security partner toward a more China-aligned orientation. The methodological framework is grounded in the structuralist paradigm of international relations, utilizing the concept of «weaponized interdependence», alongside an analytical approach that includes content, institutional, and trend analysis. The study concludes that the PRC’s approach to gaining leverage over Thailand does not rely solely on soft or hard power; rather, China constructs «nodes» of asymmetrical dependence through informal relations with high-ranking officials to establish a neopatrimonial system. Consequently, political stakeholders prefer the pragmatic preservation of existing ties over confrontational policies toward the PRC, which in turn limits engagement with third-party states. Prospects for further research include examining this pattern in other regional states, as well as exploring the negative consequences of such strategies for China’s broader soft power.