China and Southeast Asia

"Spanning over five centuries of history, this book seeks to describe and define the evolution of the China-Southeast Asia nexus and the interactions which have shaped their shared past. Examining the relationships which have proven integral to connecting Northeast and Southeast Asia with other parts of the world, the contributors of the volume provide a thorough context to changing contemporary relations in the region and perhaps one of the most intense re-orderings occurring anywhere in the world today. From maritime trading relations and political interactions to overland Chinese expansion and commerce in Southeast Asia, this book reveals connections across the China-Southeast Asia interface, which often remain hidden. In so doing, it goes beyond existing Area Studies scholarship to present an invaluable new perspective to the field. A major contribution to the study of Asian economic and cultural interactions, this book will appeal to students and scholars of Chinese history, as well as Southeast Asia more generally"--