ASIAN REGIONALISM

Submitted By: Guarin, Meg Submitted to: Mr. George Albarracin

Gantuanco, Dave

Umpad, Dana

Saturion, Mhyra

Dionaldo, Mario Lito

Taroc, Moses Angelo

WHAT IS REGIONALISM?

Regionalism according to Etel Solongen is interaction among various aspects such as flows
of people, NGOs, media, barter, financial transaction as well as politics and military cooperation
region.

Specifically, Dewi Fortuna Anwar defines regionalism as “the fruit of institutionalized, or at the
very least of regularized, intercourse between neighboring governments and groups for specific
or general purposes.”

While the aim of regional cooperation according to Sergio Caballero Santos is “to promote the
emergence of a cohesive regional unit, which dominates the pattern of relations between the
states of that region and the rest of the world, and which forms the organizing basis for policy
within the region across a range of issues.

ASIAN REGIONALISM

Asian regionalism is the product of economic interaction, not political planning. As a result of
successful, outward-oriented growth strategies, Asian economies have grown not only richer,
but also closer together. In recent years, new technological trends have further strengthened
ties among them.

In the early stages of Asia’s economic take off, regional integration proceeded slowly. East
Asian economies, in particular, focused on exporting to developed country markets rather than
selling to each other. Initially, they specialized in simple, labor-intensive manufactures. As the
more advanced among them graduated to more sophisticated products, less developed
economies filled the gap that they left behind.

EVOLUTION OF ASIAN REGIONALISM

Pan-Asianism and Macro-Asianism

Is a general term refers to a wide range of ideas and movements that called for the
solidarity of Asian peoples to counter Western influences in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries. In Japan, where Pan-Asianism had a decisive influence on the course of its
modern history and served as an ideological justification for its military expansionism through
1945, it is referred to as "Asianism" or "Greater Asianism."
 Asian Relations Conference took place in New Delhi in March-April 1947

The Asian Relations Conference brought together many leaders of the

independence movements in Asia, and represented a first attempt to assert Asian unity.
The objectives of the conference were "to bring together the leading men and women
of Asia on a common platform to study the problems of common concern to the people
of the continent, to focus attention on social, economic and cultural problems of the
different countries of Asia, and to foster mutual contact and understanding."

Colombo Powers conference was held on April 28 1954 in Ceylon.

This conference was attended by Ceylon, Indonesia, Burma, India and Pakistan.
Participants of this conference were also known as Colombo powers. They all were met
to discuss the problems and issues which were related to all of them. They exchange
their views regarding their common interest in this conference. This conference was not
met on a particular issue.

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

The primary goal of the ASEAN, as far as the United States and its friends were
concerned, was to consolidate Southeast Asia against communism, which was raging in the
form of the Vietnam War. Its focus was on security.
ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by the five original member
countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined
on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Laos and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia
on 30 April 1999.

Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines

Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam

The ASEAN Declaration states that the aims and purposes of the Association are:

 to accelerate the economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the
region through joint endeavors in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to
strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of Southeast Asian
nations, and
  to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule
of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles
of the United Nations Charter. In 1995, the ASEAN Heads of State and Government re-
affirmed that “Cooperative peace and shared prosperity shall be the fundamental goals
of ASEAN.”

ASEAN Plus Three (APT) is a forum that functions as a coordinator of co-operation between
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the three East Asian nations of China, South
Korea, and Japan. Government leaders, ministers, and senior officials from the 10 members of
the ASEAN and the three Northeast Asian states consult on an increasing range of issues. The
APT is the latest development of East Asian regional co-operation.

The first leaders' meetings were held in 1996 and 1997 to deal with Asia–Europe Meeting
issues, and China and Japan each wanted regular summit meetings with ASEAN members
afterwards. The group's significance and importance was strengthened by the Asian Financial
Crisis. In response to the crisis, ASEAN closely cooperated with China, South Korea, and Japan.
Since the implementation of the Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation in 1999 at the
Manila Summit, APT finance ministers have been holding periodic consultations.

Asia-Pacific Regionalism

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), is an economic group of 21

members, formed in 1989, and was institutionalized with the goal of monitoring and
analysing regional markets and institutions as well as governing rules and norms for
facilitating transparent and efficient business transactions in the region. Its focus was
economic and its style was technocratic. It also promotes free trade and sustainable
development in the Pacific Rim economies. Creation of APCE was primarily in response
to the increasing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies. Also, the proliferation of
regional economic blocs, such as the European Union (EU) and the, now defunct, North
American Free Trade Area (NAFTA), encouraged its formation.

The founding members of APEC were Australia, Brunei, Canada, Indonesia,

Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the U.S.
Since its launch, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Chile, Peru,
Russia and Vietnam have joined its ranks. APEC refers to its members as economies
rather than as states due to the disputed status of Taiwan and Hong Kong.
 The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) was founded in 1980 at the initiative
of Mr Masayoshi Ohira and Mr Malcolm Fraser, then Prime Ministers of Japan and
Australia respectively. Its founding name was the Pacific Economic Cooperation
Conference with the final word changed to Council years later. The Council brings
together leading thinkers, and decision makers from government and business in an
informal setting to discuss and formulate ideas on the most significant challenges facing
the Asia Pacific. It regularly develops and advocates regional policy initiatives to aid in
the stable economic development of the region.

East Asian Regionalism

The East Asia Economic Caucus (EAEC) or East Asia Economic Group (EAEG) was
a regional free trade zone (FTA) proposed in 1997 by Malaysian Prime Minister Dr.
Mahathir bin Mohamad and encompasses the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) member states, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. Japan though refused
participation due to the exclusion of the Western nations, which were already members
of APEC and many other notable regional organizations in East Asia.

The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a regional forum held annually by leaders of,
initially, 16 countries in the East Asian, Southeast Asian, and South Asian regions, based
on the ASEAN Plus Six mechanism. Membership expanded to 18 countries including
Russia and the United States at the Sixth EAS in 2011. Since its establishment, ASEAN
has held the central role and leadership in the forum. EAS meetings are held after the
annual ASEAN leaders' meetings, and plays an important role in the regional
architecture of Asia-Pacific.