Presentation on “Chinese Perspectives on Building an East

Asian Community in the Twenty-first Century”

Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University

Shih-Yi Ho (Toki)4012R310-8 MA1

Background and Questions

Background: the region plagued by war, chaos, division, and mutual suspicion began moving toward integration.China: as a major power could influence significantlyThe questions for institutionalization: a. Multiculturalism(dynamic behind)b. How should Asian community be constructed?c. China’s role and perspective toward of Regional mechanism(APEC ASEAN ARF six party talk, SCO)d. China’s view on the U.S role in Asiae. What are the norms that driven the direction?

The Evolution of China’s Attitude toward Regional Multiculturalism (1)

・ perspective on regional, multiculturalism, evolved substantially

・ mass-media: rise the sense conduct economic with outside: not only bilateral basis but also regional context

・ tougher text: 1. contain the stronger China (China threat)2.Internationalization of disputed territorial issues (South China issues)3. ASEAN’s driver role put the issues territorial issues on agenda (which China prefer to deal with on a bilateral basis).

・ China lending money and depreciate its currency made an important contribution to stabilize the situation “Responsible power rather then threat”

Post Cold War

1991 CH join APEC

1994 ARF

(1997-1998)Financial Crisis

The Evolution of China’s Attitude toward Regional Multiculturalism (2)

Trend: subtle but stable • mainly with U.S.• Factors:

a. Concern for Security and Stability (evil force Central Asia)while join the WTO: ASEAN countries aware that China is formidable

mitigate by cooperation b. Involvement with NK 1997-1998 four party talks: US CH NK SK: aim at building peace ->ended without concrete progress1st multilateral institution that China ever sponsored

-> six-party talk: SK NK CH US RU JP China became indispensable:

a. as a host b. an active convener

c. skillful consensus maker

1990 mu-lin-yo-hao ( 睦鄰友好 )

2000you lin ,an lin, fu lin ( 睦鄰，安鄰，富鄰 )

SCO(June 2001)2002 NK nuclear ambition 2003 three part talks

The Evolution of China’s Attitude toward Regional Multiculturalism (3)

China see regionalism as a useful instrument:• Economically: suggested by NAFTA, EU Regionalism stepping stone Globalizationsee formalized arrangements to expandconsolidate cooperation with regional neighbors• Politically: new norm of multiculturalismembrace it, and make stronger ties be influential• Security: necessary to address many non-traditional security

challenges in regionRecognize that post-cold war regional order, china need to be active part of the trend and contribute more

China’s View on East- Asian Community Building

• Issues on building East Asia Community comprehensively:

a. optimist: deepen interdependencerising the sense of shared destinyb. pessimists: different opinions of the country which should participate

Question: What is East- Asia? What countries could participate?

EAS (East Asia Summit)China’s View on East- Asian Community Building

(1) mark as a substantive step a. forward in East Asia cooperation b. regionalism not just on ASEAN

(2)frustration: Australia, NZ, India as memberASEAN as a hostKuala Lumpur Declaration: EAS could play a significant role in community buildingChina: consider that it’s a APEC-like group EAS does not make too much difference

APT China’s View on East- Asian Community Building

• the main venue that China expectsa. providing important frameworks: regional economic cooperation(13East- Asia countries+ 3 non East-Asia countries) useful instrument in integrate all kinds of sub-regional economic cooperationb. Improve political relations: platform for dialogue and interactionsc. pragmatic (not include non-Asia countries)

APECChina’s View on East- Asian Community Building

• Not making concrete measures toward financial crisis fail to launch EVSL

• 2001 Shanghai summit: North Korea security issues brought up

• Bring the vigor: The possible contribution in 2020 realization of the Free trade area ASEAN in 2015

• predominance of the U.S.• not possible to turn into intuitional structure accommodating

with economic, political and security cooperation

ARFChina’s View on East- Asian Community Building

(1) pursue: confidence building, preventive diplomacy, conflict solutions(2) pushing: security dialogue, defense transparency, adopt confidence building measures, cooperation in securityunlikely to become regional security institution(too

many members)but could be strengthen its role and mutual understanding

Six-Party TalkChina’s View on East- Asian Community Building

• Korea Peninsula security issue• Represent a non-traditional approach but to a traditional security

challenge• Possible to put into place a multilateral mechanism: But the 2006

Pyongyang’s appearance test of nuclear(doubt its effectiveness)• Must be addressed in multilateral diplomatic process than traditional

approach of defense containment:2007 resumption attest the point• Longer Run: a. build and maintain permanent peace in Korea Peninsulab. enhance confidence building and multi-trustc. promote cooperation and issues• Impact of the process of East-Asia Community: a. increase the cooperation

with Japan, South Korea and China.Maintain its openness: not address their own.

SCOChina’s View on East- Asian Community Building

• New Security concept by mutual trust Shanghai Spirit:

( 互信、互利、平等、协商，尊重多样文明，谋求共同发展” )

• Dealing with separatism, extremism and terrorism

China’s View on East- Asian Community Building

(1) Opinions: a. no need to push unitary platform(each has its own merit and operate differently)b. regional institutionalization is desirable(2)ASEAN’s role: Realistic Choice(either Japan and China can take the leading role.)The question whether ASEAN wants an ASEAN community or East- Asia Community(3)India: major player that U.S. Japan use India as the balance power with China. Traditionally attached to China. New Delhi is more likely to pursue the diplomacy of equidistance from the other major powerslikely to involve in any regional security mechanism

Chinese Views on the US Role in Asia (1)

• Status: single most important external factor• Role:

a. pursue community building in East-Asia way (APE, ARF)support the leadershipb. negative about the U.S. Role

uncertain but U.S. influence must be taken into account

Agree: that China is not a unity to be afraid of

Chinese Views on the US Role in Asia (2)

• Concerning: a. the truth of limitation of regional affairs due to the distance: but the linkage between East-Asia and UN will not be deludedb. China’s rise: participation and cooperation will make China more reliantc. APECEast Asia community divert and convert with each other

Chinese Views on the US Role in Asia (3) Alliance

• Thai, Philippines: improvement lost much momentum

• Korea: Seoul’s effort to shift its policy from one of antagonism to peaceful coexistence-> loosen

• US-Japan Alliance: balance China’s rising power(1990 renew).But should avoid to set China as the only target

U.S. alliance will continue to exist as part of the pluralistic security arrangement in the region

Unappreciated: Totally ignore the existence of Taiwan

Looking ahead the future

• “neo- East Asia Regionalism”(1) APT should serve as a main vehicle for East Asia cooperation (sustain and viable)(2) continue to emphasize participating countries’ sovereignty. Liberal to regional cooperation, but conservative to sovereign issues: most want to join the cooperation as a sovereign nation-state challenge of how to institutionalize substantive while accommodate with sensitive sovereignty issues.

My concern: the crucial survival issue for its neighbor Taiwan.

Looking ahead the future

(3) respect the diversity in social, economic and security concerns. (As Premier Wen stressed at the second EAS meeting)(4) hinge on common developing goals: for both developing and developed countries(5) stress openness: EAFTA can also enter agreement with other part of the world(6) economic cooperation and non-tradition security issues: terrorism, drug traffickingAPT members do share some of the norms, but with different opinion: ex Japan toward EAS. Myanmar toward domestic policy

Future regional Architecture

• EAVG (East Asia Vision Group) take the creation of community positively.

• Economic integration improve the regional stability.• Build on trust: Enemies can become good partners

(EU)• It is in its infancy with obstacles abound.

Opinion: design while constructing.

Three pillar

(1)Economic : East Asia FTA ASEAN economic community Free trade within APEC countries(2)Political: APT issues on non-tradition issues“concert of power”(3)Institutionalized: structural level: manage of annual summit.Set the 2020 goal as a mark

Opinions and Questions

• As viewing how the mechanism works in the Europe, I doubt that it is possible to build a community that concerns of multi-issues without democratic value. (Keohane)

• Institutionalization is adhere with information-openness. It is impossible to build trust between non-free and partially-free countries. Or else it is just a “tribute system”

• Would be really interesting to know how the next generation think about the institutionalization process.