1. The Strong in the World of the Weak
“Southeast Asia in Asia’s Regional Architecture”
Amitav Achaarya
Sint Sint
4013R324-4
6th January 2014

2. Contents Introduction Evolution of ASEAN’s role in Asian Regionalism
Debates in Regional Architecture
The US Role and its Alliances
Principles of Southeast Asian and Asian Regionalism
Conclusion

3. Introduction Why ? Theoretical perspectives (Realism, Constructivism)
ASEAN has been able to "lead" Asia Regionalism
Why ?
Theoretical perspectives
(Realism, Constructivism)
How?
Four points

4. Soft realism Vs Constructivism
Individual members are lack of power but
collectively they acquire enough bargaining
power and could influence the attention of
great powers through its regional institutions
ASEAN, binding together through soft power
of national identities to have the leading role in
the region

5. Logic of Soft Realism
Institutions control by weaker states, less threatening
Enjoy more legitimacy than institution created by stronger powers

6. I. Evolution of ASEAN’ role in Asian Regionalism
Post WW II : unimportant role
During Cold War: marked the high point of ASEAN-led regionalism
Post Cold War: as a central stage in East Asian regionalism

7. Post WW II: Asian Regionalism
pan-Asian, Afro-Asian, sub-regional (Southeast Asian), trans-Pacific (Asia-Pacific), and East Asia
India’s role: the first Asian conference:
pan-Asian sentiment: Bandung Asia-African Conference in 1955
Indonesia and Myanmar (Burma) performed initial regionalist (pan-Asian)concepts
No clear separation between South and Southeast Asia.
Sovereignty and nonintervention is symbol of early Asian regionalism

8. During Cold War: Formation of ASEAN
1967, founded by five original members
ASEAN’s model is informal, Non legalistic, and sovereignty-enhancing cooperation
Southeast Asian countries were cautious of
dominated by "outside“ regional powers
Political and security as a major concern
Marked as the high point of ASEAN-led regionalism

9. Post Cold War: East Asian Regionalism
APEC, ARF: new ideas of cooperative security for practical implementation
APEC, ARF: ASEAN becomes the centre stage
APT then EAS towards the final goal of East Asian Community

10. II. Debates in Regional Architecture
Cause: Asian Economic crisis of 1997
Two Major Issues:
the direction of ASEAN
ASEAN reform: economic and security spheres
the Role of ASEAN
Broader regional institution
(two main perspectives: narrower and broader _ APT Vs EAS_ inclusive and exclusive)

11. ASEAN Reform Economic area Thailand : flexible engagement
(nonintervention issue)
Singapore: ASEAN economic community
(ASEAN Charter: institutionalized and legalized)
Security area
Indonesia: ASEAN security community
(regional human right mechanism and enshrining democracy)

12. Broader regional institution
Two main perspectives
Exclusive : Malaysia
(supported by China)
APT toward East Asia Community
Inclusive : East Asian regionalism
Open regionalism and cooperative security
(Singapore & Indonesia: supported by Japan, close ties the US)

13. ASEAN’s view: Other regional organizations
APEC : nervous on the US dominant
Washington Agenda for trade liberalization
ARF: remain the driver’s seat
Still vague in interest or regional issues: south china sea, Taiwan issue, Korean Peninsula
Workable in transnational issues: terrorism and transnational crime

14. III. The US Role and its Alliances
Perspectives on the US’s Role
- Southeast Asian states: regional view
- ASEAN members states: individual
(regional friends and allies)
- Intra-ASEAN differences

15. Southeast Asian states: regional view
- Limited the US interest and engagement in broader
ASEAN members:
Greatest challenges for the US indifference and dominance
the US emphasis on APEC vehicle for trade liberalization
the US ‘s regional friends and allies not embrace in the EAS
Intra-ASEAN :
difference over the US military presence during and after cold war
US bilateralism and regional ASEAN-led multilateralism

16. IV. The Principles and Norms: Southeast Asian and Asian Regionalism
Basic Principles
Reducing interstate wars
Enhancing domestic stability
Preventing any single outside powers
Other Principles
Open and nonexclusionary regionalism
Non-interference in the internal affairs of states
No regional military pacts, and
ASEAN leadership in regional institutions

17. Challenges for the Principles
ASEAN accept the US military dominance : an off-shore balancer for rising China
Open regionalism was challenged among the ASEAN and non-ASEAN members
(EAS, ARF and APT)
Non interference principle is more difficult to assess (within and without ASEAN)

18. Conclusion
ASEAN’s leadership has evolved, expanded, and entered a new phase toward Asian regionalism
the origin regional grouping in Asia
a bridge as Indian and Pacific oceans
rich in resources human and natural for economic globalization
the institutional platform for wider Asia Pacific and East Asian regional institutions
the centre of Asian regionalist debates and interactions over changing norms and mechanisms

19. Institutional Dilemma
ASEAN: a state-centric, sovereignty-bounded nations
(Still struggling internal and external threats itself)
Seriously mismatch between traditional institution for grasping state sovereignty Vs transnational regionalism (APT, ARF, EAS)
APT= ASEAN+3 (China+S.Korea+Japan)
EAS= APT+3 (India+ Australia+ New Zealand)+Papua New Guinea +Russia
ARF= EAS+ US+ Canada+ EU+N.Korea+Pakistan + Bangldesh +Sri Lanka+ Mongolia + East Timor

20. Comment - Asian regionalism: a crucial element to survive for small nations facing large and powerful countries - soft institutionalism: gradually give way to bureaucratization and legalization, but only gradually and limitedly - continues to hold driver’s seat through regional cooperation to have greater international clout rather than singular national existence and efforts.
Exclusive
APT, ARF
Inclusive EAS
State-centric nations

21. Thank you