Ever since China began to open up to the outside world and carried out its reform, China has followed the path of an open-end regionalism. Such open-end regionalism can allow China to take the lead to establish the ideological basis of regional platforms. What open-end regionalism stresses is the inclusive of regional organizations. Such regionalism can be reflected on China's relationship with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries.
After the end of the Cold War, the relationship between China and ASEAN is a most successful case in all regional organizations. The relationship between China and ASEAN has also led to two other countries in Northeast Asia, namely Japan and South Korea to establish closer relationship with the ASEAN countries.
Open Process Evolution
How can G2 expand the basis of its own system? It will be an open process evolution. During this evolution, G2 may come out with different organizational structure. However, for effectiveness and convenience, G2 may also wish to use the ASEAN platform to develop the G2 structure. In other words, ASEAN can indeed expand its open-end regionalism to China-US relationship.
There are many reasons why ASEAN can become an interactive platform for G2. First of all, ASEAN has already formed its ASEAN "10 +1" mechanism. Built on this base, ASEAN now has the ASEAN "10+3" (ASEAN plus China, Japan, South Korea) framework. Now, the United States has openly said that it wants to "come back" (return to Southeast Asia). This means that ASEAN can come out with another "10+1" mechanism (ASEAN plus US) framework to include the United States.
Developing Enough Momentum
It is not difficult for the ASEAN "10+3 mechanism to extend and become an ASEAN "10+4" framework. During the initial stage, the United States may be reluctant to buy this concept. However, with East Asia gradually becoming the center of the world economy, the United States will also gradually develop enough momentum to enter this ASEAN "10+4" mechanism. The ASEAN-China Free Trade Area has already entered into force.
After a period of trial run, the ties between ASEAN and China will further be strengthened. This will give the United States great competitive challenge in the East Asian region. If the United States does not want to be marginalized in this region, the United States must make effort to institutionalize its presence in the Southeast Asian region.
Both ASEAN and Northeast Asian countries are facing a reality that the United States was here in the past; the United States is here now and the United States will also be here in the future. The importance of the United States to Southeast Asia (regardless if it is from economic or strategic perspective) is obvious. It is with good and great reason that the ASEAN countries would want to earnestly "invite" the United States to come back to Southeast Asia. In Northeastern Asia, Japan has proposed to establish a more equal relationship with the United States. If ASEAN does not consider the US factor, then the concept of an East Asian Community will be difficult to achieve.
US Shift Toward East Asia
East Asian regionalism is inclusive, which means it can include the United States. In the same token, if East Asian countries have recognized the existence of the United States, or to use the words of realism, there is no ability for the region to exclude the United States, they would have to consider how to "digest" the United States. It is like the US engagement policy on China with the purpose to "digest" China.
In fact, as the US focus begins to shift toward East Asia, the United States has more and more like an East Asian country. In such a case, the United States must be integrated into the Asian economic and security mechanism. The more the United States is excluded from this region, the more insecurity East Asian countries can become. The reason is very simple. This is because the more the region wants to exclude the United States, the more the United States will have the psychological fear of not becoming part of the same. The United States might find whatever means they can use to get involved in this region then.
Providing Economic Platform
First and foremost the proposed ASEAN "10+4" mechanism is an economic platform. In this regard, interaction on economic issues within such a platform is easier to carry out. Compared with other aspects of interaction, economic interaction is often not a zero-sum game. Economic interaction platform can even result in having positive effect on political interaction. At this moment, between China and the United States, these two countries face many trade disputes.
On the surface, although the China-US bilateral trade disputes are trade matters between the two countries, to a great degree, such trade disputes involve the whole East Asia's trade relationship with the United States. This is especially manifested in the aspects of the US trade deficit with China. It is difficult for regional countries to explain China's trade relation with the United States if we do not consider China's trade relation with other East Asian countries. If the US economic mechanisms can be integrated into the East Asian region, when the United States considers its economic interest, its economic concern will not so easily be politicized as what has happened now.
Possible Positive Impact
Economic integration will also bring positive impact to the ultimate security issue. The security issue between China and the United States is not just the problem between the two countries; it is also the security issue of the entire Asia. If China and the United States can, based on the proposed ASEAN "10+4" mechanism, to also nurture military confidence and build up a security cooperation mechanism, such security cooperation mechanism will allow peace in Asia to prevail and be protected, it will also provide solid foundation for global security.
The proposed ASEAN "10+4" mechanism itself can be an open end mechanism. Based on such principle, this mechanism can be expanded to include more relevant countries. It will be the ASEAN "10+4" formula.
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