ASEAN Regionalism: Institutions and Principles PDF

ASEAN Regionalism: Institutions and Principles Department of International Relations Universitas Gadjah Mada  Discussing ASEAN Principles & Profile Institutions Deba...

ASEAN Regionalism: Institutions and Principles Department of International Relations Universitas Gadjah Mada  Discussing ASEAN Principles & Profile Institutions Debates Development Decision Making Profile Member states: 10 countries Headquarter: Jakarta Population: 679.69 millions (est. 2023) GDP per capita: 5,812 USD Export Partners: China, US, EU Import Partners: China, Japan, S. Korea KPUPR, 2019 Regionalism (Hurrell, 1995) What is a Region? E.g. “Southeast Asia” is a term known for World War II strategic purposes, while ASEAN just established in 1967. What is Regionalism? The following conditions are needed to constitute a regionalism: Social Cohesion (Race/Ethnicities; History/Heritages; Cultures) Economic Cohesion (Trades; Interdependencies) Political Cohesion (Regime Types; Ideologies) Organizational Cohesion (Regional Organizations) Concepts Explaining Regionalism (1) Regionalization Through social and economic interaction in a seamless process, going on overtime. Examples: Overseas Chinese economic activities in East and Southeast Asia (Kunio Yoshihara, 1988), American-Hispanic interaction in California. Regional Awareness Many scholars believes that regional Identity is important as a basis for regionalism. Emanuel Adler’s “Cognitive Region”: Based on culture, religion, common denominators. Sometimes, common enemies. In the case of ASEAN in its early period of establishment is to contain the spread of communism. Concepts Explaining Regionalism (2) Regional Inter-State Cooperation Constructed by states through agreements and regional arrangements. Examples: Significant roles of state leaders summit in ASEAN, proliferating the cooperation into Asian Regional Forum and ASEAN+3. State Promoted Regional Integration Sponsored by a State, directing the path to regionalism. Focusing on a specific sector of cooperation. Examples: Establishing free trade area and certain degrees of economic integration. Regional Cohesion Combination of the above explanations.  ASEAN Predecessors SEATO ASA Southeast Asia Treaty Association of Southeast Organization Asia 1954, Southeast Asian Established in Bangkok Security Conference in 1961. Manila Thailand, Malaya, and the Thailand, the Philippines, Philippines as founders. United States, Great Disbanded due to conflict Britain, Australia, New of claims over North Zealand, Pakistan as Borneo (Sabah) by founders. Malaysia and the Disbanded in 1977. Philippines. Southeast Asian Security Conference in Manila 1954 War in Vietnam and Indo-China 1955-1975 South and North Vietnamese Conflict Proxy conflicts in the cold war: Soviet assistance to the North, US Military presence in the 1950s and early 1960s in South Vietnam (Truman doctrine). Bombings of North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, deploying troops in 1965. More than 500.000 of US troops deployment 1955-1975. Konfrontasi 1963-1966 July 1963, Jakarta and Manila asked impartial monitoring by the UN Limited conflicts in the for Borneo territories border and infiltration whether they decide to to North Borneo join Malaysia or not Political and military Malaysia is established tensions in the region on 16th September 1963, Brunei remains independent Konfrontasi 1963-1966 Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality 1976 Regime further change in strengthened the Indonesia after The Declaration of commitment for 1965 ASEAN in August 1967 peace. Peace Conflicts prevention: agreement to to bind the end conflicting powers Konfrontasi into cooperation. signed in August 1966 (Sutter, 1966) ASEAN Establishment Political Economic security Failure of the context context Achieving stability predecessor for growth and regional investment organizations. Anticipating rivalries Regional efforts to in trade since the navigate cold war. commodities are similar. The need to Managing potential cooperate for conflicts among economic member states. development. Narciso Ramos, Adam Malik, Thanat Khoman, Tun Abdul Razak, & Sinnathamby Rajaratnam Negotiating ASEAN “At the banquet marking the reconciliation between the three disputants, I broached the idea of forming another organization for regional cooperation with Adam Malik. Malik agreed without hesitation but asked for time to talk with his government and also to normalize relations with Malaysia now that the confrontation was over. … Meanwhile, the Thai Foreign Office prepared a draft charter of the new institution. Within a few months, everything was ready. I therefore invited the two former members of the Association for Southeast Asia (ASA), Malaysia and the Philippines, and Indonesia, a key member, to a meeting in Bangkok. … In addition, Singapore sent S. Rajaratnam, then Foreign Minister, to see me about joining the new set-up. Although the new organization was planned to comprise only the ASA members plus Indonesia, Singapore’s request was favorably considered.” (Thanat Khoman in Severino, 2006)  The singing of the Bangkok Declaration, 8 August 1967 marking the establishment of ASEAN. ASEAN Development 1967 Establishment 1969 Agreement of a Fund for ASEAN 1971 27 Nov, Dec on the Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) 1976 24 Feb, First ASEAN Summit and ASEAN Secretariat (Bali Concord I) 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (51 signatories in 2023) 1992 28 Jan, ASEAN Free Trade Area Agreement 1995 15 Dec, Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone 2003 7 Oct, Formulating framework of ASEAN Community (Bali Concord II) 2007 20 Nov, ASEAN Charter signed 2015 31 Dec, Establishment of ASEAN Community ASEAN Enlargement Brunei Darussalam 7 January 1984 Vietnam 30 July 1995 Laos 23 July 1997 Myanmar 23 July 1997 Cambodia 30 April 1999 Timor Leste Ongoing Process Principal Institutions Neo-Functionalism Approach ASEAN Regionalism can be Albeit initiated and driven by boosted by intensifying political motives, ASEAN concerted efforts to wide array sustainability depends on of cooperation rather than stay regionalism approach. in political deadlocks. By having a prosperous region, the necessity to have armed Factors supporting the progress conflict diminishes. The cost of of ASEAN Community are having open conflict would be working tangible cooperation too costly rather than to gain with measurable outcomes. economic benefits from peace. Decision Making The basic principles: non-interference, consultation, and consensus. ASEAN Summit as the supreme policy-making body Take the decisions on summit (twice a year or ad-hoc summit) Instruct relevant ministers to hold ad-hoc ministerial meetings Address emergency situations Establish or dissolve ministerial bodies Appointing SG Chapter VIII of the Charter stipulates that conflicting parties could request the ASEAN Chair or the ASEAN Secretariat to act as mediators. When the dispute is unresolved, the matter should be brought to the ASEAN Summit. The compliance should be monitored by the ASEAN Secretary-General with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat. Decisions are submitted to the ASEAN Summit; however, member states’ leader can traditionally veto. ASEAN Coordinating Council: Approve and appoint DSGs with the consultation of SG. Principles & Debates ASEAN Principles (ASEAN Charter, How do you think ASEAN is approaching Article 2): the following issues? a. Respecting sovereignty of member states b. Commitment for peace, security, prosperity Myanmar coup and political crises c. Renunciation of the use of force Tensions in the South China Sea d. Peaceful settlement of disputes e. Non-Interference f. Rights of members to free from external interference g. Consultations h. Rule of law, good governance, democracy i. Fundamental freedoms and human rights j. Upholding UN Charter international humanitarian law k. Abstention from interfering other ASEAN members l. Respecting diversity m. Centrality of ASEAN n. Adherence to international trade regimes CSIS, 2022