Emerging China-led Regionalism and Soft Balancing

China has consolidated its status within a complex network of multilateral organizations since the end of the Cold War. Gradually, it has established multiple frameworks with the aim to provide some alternatives to the existing structures. Questions arise whether Beijing is going to use this China-led structure to soft balance Russia in Central Asia or the United States in the Asia Pacific, on its quest to secure its core interests (hexin liyi). A comparative method of China’s pro-active agenda setting within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) has been used to evaluate China’s engagements. This paper concludes that China’s international ambitions will gradually increase the challenge to the established regional architecture. In the foreseeable future, Beijing will further cultivate closer ties with Russia, as they both coordinate their actions, however their future ties might become more competitive.