expand its presence in the South China and East China Seas so that it controls the region's essential sea-lanes. China's goal is simply to ensure that no country in the region will act on anything without taking China's interests into consideration, which is actually acting only in China's best interests. However, since the mid-1970's, China has been trying to reduce the impact of the South China Sea territorial disputes on its relations with the countries in the A.S.A.N. Also, since the early 1990's, it has promoted cooperative economic ventures in the disputed waters and shelving of sovereignty disputes. Beijing realizes that conservative international behavior was the condition that encouraged the advanced industrial countries to participate in China's economy. They also realize that offensive policies risk ending China's huge economic growth. "Since the early 1980's, the world's major industrial economies have been eager to participate in Chinese modernization. The prospect of China's economic growth and greater domestic employment has encouraged them to expand trade and investment ties with China." (course pack, page 243). They have also been willing to give aid and technical assistance through
             ...