CHAPTER

5:
ASIAN
REGIONALIS
M
The only thing that will redeem
mankind is cooperation…
Bertrand Russel
The Contemporary World:
Asian Regionalism

Intended Learning Outcomes:

1.Explain what Regionalism is and its purpose;
2.Undermine the rationale behind the creation of such
regional organization;
3.Recognize how Asian Regionalism affects the world
within the greater backdrop of Globalization.
The Contemporary World:
Asian Regionalism
The Contemporary World:
Asian Regionalism

• Many things have been said

about Asia especially its sheer
size, population and its
capability to dominate the
global political and economic
environment.
• As such, the call for Regional
economic cooperation is
essential for addressing these
challenges.
The Contemporary World:
Asian Regionalism

half the world's population produces

three tenths global output (in terms of
purchasing power),

consistently records of the world's

highest economic growth rates
The Contemporary World:
Asian Regionalism
financial
transactions
direct
trade investment

technology labour
tourist flows
The Contemporary World:
Asian Regionalism
Advantages of Regionalism in Asia
• Generate productivity gains, new ideas, and
1 competition that boost economic growth and raise
incomes across the world.

• Contribute to the efficiency and stability of global financial

2 markets by making Asian capital markets stronger and faster
and by maximizing the productive use of Asian savings.

• Diversity sources of global demand, helping to stabilize the

3 world and diminish the risks posed by global imbalances and
downturns major economies.
The Contemporary World:
Asian Regionalism
Advantages of Regionalism in Asia

• Provide leadership to help sustain open global trade

4 and financial systems.

• Create regional mechanisms to manage health, safety, an

5 environmental issue better, and thus contribute to more
effective global solutions of these problems.
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

Asian
Regional
Groupings
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

ASEAN
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
August 8, 1967
in Bangkok

Cambodia is the last country to join ASEAN

THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

ASEAN: Fundamental
Principles
Mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality,
territorial integrity, and national identity of all nations;

The right of every State to lead its national existence free

from external interference, subversion or coercion

Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another

THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

ASEAN: Fundamental
Principles
Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful
manner;

Renunciation of the threat or use of force; and

Effective cooperation among themselves.

THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

adopted by the
ASEAN Leaders
on the 30th
anniversary of
ASEAN, agreed
on a shared
vision of ASEAN
as a concert of
ASEAN VISION Southeast Asian
nations
2020
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

APEC
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

a regional forum established in 1989 to

leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific.
aim to create greater prosperity for the people of the
region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable,
innovative and secure growth and by accelerating regional
economic integration.
ensures that goods, services, investment and people
move easily across borders. Members facilitate this trade
through faster customs procedures at borders, more
favourable business climates behind the border.
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

The
The 21 21 APEC
APEC
member
member
economies
economiesjointly
jointly
work
work towards
towards the
the
realization
realizationof
of
free
free and
and open
open
trade
trade and
and
investment
investment ininthe
the
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific by by
2020
2020
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

EAS
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

EAST ASIA SUMMIT

The East Asia Summit is a unique leaders-led forum of
18 countries of the Asia-Pacific region formed to further
the objectives of regional peace, security and prosperity.

It has evolved as a forum for strategic dialogue and

cooperation on political, security and economic issues
of common regional concerns.
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

EAST ASIA SUMMIT • Australia

• China
• India
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Republic of Korea
• Russian Federation
• USA
EAS is an initiative of ASEAN and is based on the premise of
centrality of ASEAN.
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

3
APT/ ASEAN PLUS THREE
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

APT ASEAN Plus Three

ASEAN agreed to strengthen partnership with the
People's Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of
Korea (Korea) and Japan to address mutual issues and
concerns in energy security, natural gas development, oil
market studies, oil stockpiling, and renewable energy.

ASEAN Plus Three (APT) can be considered as a forum

that functions as coordinator of co-operation between
the Association of Southeast Asian Nation and the three
East Asia nations of China, Japan, and South Korea.
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
Issues and Concerns of Asian Regionalism
Asian Regionalism may not played a role in the
major and longstanding regional conflicts, especially
that are holdovers from the Cold War period, such
as the PRC
The possible failure of regional trust-building, which
is supposed to have been brought about by regional
groups like the ASEAN is reflected in the emergence
of what seems to be a significant arms race across
the region
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
Issues and Concerns of Asian Regionalism
The region is regularly visited by natural calamities,
there is no standing regional humanitarian and
disaster assistance mechanism in place, despite
periodic attempts to create one.
Transnational threats such as illegal migration,
terrorism, and pandemics continue to be dealt with
on an ad hoc or bilateral basis, without significant
multilateral action.
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM
Issues and Concerns of Asian Regionalism
On human rights and social issues, Asia continues
to lag behind other regions, including Africa and
Latin America, not to mention Europe, developing
regional human rights promotion and protection
mechanisms.
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

ABSTRACTION
Asian regional groups are not problem-
solving or law-enforcing mechanisms, but
norm-making and socializing agents. In this
respect, they do conform to the general model
of international organization, which generally
lack coercive enforcement power, but act as
instruments of socialization and legitimizing
actors.
THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD:
ASIAN REGIONALISM

ABSTRACTION
Asian regional institutions should widen
their focus to embrace transnational
issues and move beyond being forums
for consultations and dialogue to become
an instrument for problem solving.