"In The Deer and the Dragon, Emmerson, one of the most eminent thinkers on Southeast Asia, has rallied an army of top regional experts to examine the nature, dynamics and implications of the power asymmetries between China and the countries of Southeast Asia. In the region's folklore, the motif of the mouse-deer and dragon represents the triumph of brain over brawn. Drawing from that analogy, the book critically investigates the myths and realities of China's preponderance in the region to draw attention to how Southeast Asian countries have been adept at employing strategies such as hedging and balancing to counter China, while also leveraging regional organizations and mechanisms to maximise their strategic autonomy. The Deer and the Dragon provides a sobering reality check on several key fronts. It examines regional perceptions of China and the United States while identifying their respective leadership deficiencies as Great Powers. It challenges the conventional wisdom that Southeast Asia is China's "strategic backyard", highlighting the differences between Chinese aspirations for the region and Southeast Asia's resistance to China's hegemonic vision. In its discussion of China's bilateral relations with Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos, as well as on the Mekong, The Deer and the Dragon brings unprecedented new insights about the depths and dimensions of these countries' relationship with China. "

1. Southeast Asia - Foreign relations - China. 2. China - Foreign relations - Southeast Asia. 3. Southeast Asia - Foreign economic relations - China. 4. China - Foreign economic relations - Southeast Asia. 5. Southeast Asia - Politics and government - 21st century.