Mierzejewski, Dominik. “Local Governments in China's Policy Towards ASEAN: Roles, Structures and Implications”. CRISEA European Policy Brief, August 2018. http://crisea.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/CRISEA_POLICY_BRIEF_1.pdf This policy brief addresses the following questions: What is the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on the role of Yunnan province in China's relations with Myanmar? How does China try to provide peace and stability to countries on its doorstep? Do the approaches taken by Beijing fulfil its expectations? What will be the nature of China's future engagement in Southeast Asia and would there be space for interaction with the European Union's engagement? In the case of ASEAN-China relations, the sub-national level has played an important role in shaping three dimensions of bilateral relations: China's image that serves as a soft-power tool, the building of channels for the internationalization of the Chinese currency (RMB), and finally, China being part of a stabilization process across its borders with Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. From this COMPETING REGIONAL INTEGRATIONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA-(POLICY BRIEF N°1) Local Governments in China's Policy Towards ASEAN: Roles, Structures and Implications The role of China's local governments in policy towards ASEAN has been perceived as an important part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In this context, the role of Yunnan province, selected by the central governments as the bridgehead, has been prominent in China's policy towards Myanmar. By building channels for cooperation and communication at the local level, the Chinese government hopes to exercise its public diplomacy and soft-power to limit the anti-Chinese sentiments and test the local ground for further extension of the patron-client relations at the state level. This policy brief attempts to elaborate the role of local governments in China's policy towards ASEAN under the Belt and Road Initiative.