ASIAN

REGIONALISM
 ASIAN
REGIONALISM
AND
THE PHILIPPINES
 Philippines
• Have always been active in regional blocs that have been
established since the time of the South East Asia Treaty
Organization (SEATO) up until current regional groupings.
• Firmly believes in establishing close ties with its neighbors
and pursue friendship, amity, and cooperation as embodied
in its Constitution.
• Remains to be steadfast to the ideals and vision of One
ASEAN and give utmost importance to the tenets of
economic integration, the pursuit of peace in the region and
socio cultural cooperation.
 Current Events
• The Philippines remains to be an important founding
member of the ASEAN having hosted several summits
recently
• The issue of the standing claims of the Professional
Regulation Commission (PRC) as well as several
ASEAN states to the West Philippine Sea.
• Pres. Rodrigo Duterte aims for peaceful and cooperative
resolution of the Spratly’s debacle by forging more
cooperative and open ties with the PRC.
Regionalism in
Asia
Why are nations participating in
Regionalism?
• Opportunities, threats and challenges prompt nation states to
bond together and forge ties and alliances built on solid, legal
frameworks with other nations.

• Nations believe that regionalism can boost and support their

national interest in economic, military, political, and even
cultural contexts.
What is Regionalism?
• Fashioned out of the rationale that regional organizations are
treaty and charter based giving them formal status in
international law.

• This status is enhanced critically through the recognition and

status accorded to regional organizations by the United Nations
and other multilateral organizations.

• “Regional organizations also derive legitimacy through the

articulation and implementation of distinctive regional norms
and practices.” Acharya (2009).
Economic Regionalism
• Refers to the institutional arrangements designed to facilitate
the free flow of goods, services, and to coordinate foreign
economic policies between countries in the came geographic
region or nearby locale.
• Can be viewed as a conscious attempt to manage the
opportunities and constraints created by the dramatic increase in
international economic ties to foster economic growth and
prosperity among its member states.
 Regionalism in
International Relations
• Regionalism is the manifestation or
expression of a common sense of cultural
identity and purpose combined with the
creation and implementation of institutions
that express a particular identity and shape
collective action within a geographical
region.
Regionalism in
Asia
• Asia’s Region is home to over half the world’s population,
produces three tenths of global output, and consistently records
the world’s highest economic growth rates.
• Asia’s economies are increasingly connected through trade,
financial transactions, direct investment, technology, labor and
other tourist flows, and other economic relationships.
• The regional order that is present in the Asian region is spurred by
the fact that there exists patterns of similarities too great to escape
scrutiny.
• Asia’s strength derives from the openness, diversity, and
dynamism of its interconnected economies.
 Should Asia continue to go on with its
established regional patterns?
• Yes. A more dynamic and outward looking Asian regionalism
could bring huge benefits to Asia, and ultimately, to the world.
• It could help:
• sustain the region’s growth
• underpin it’s stability
• Reduce inequality
• Address the perennial problem of poverty
Should there be more integration?

• Yes. A vibrant, integrated Asia could bring the region’s immense

intellectual and economic resources to bear on current and future
challenges.
• It could help power up and stabilize the global economy by:
• Boost productivity
• Raise living standards
• Reduce poverty
• A stable, cohesive, and productive Asia is thus of everyone’s
interest. Thus, regionalism is a must for Asia.
 Advantages of Regionalism in Asia:
1. Generate productivity gains, new ideas, and competition
2. Contribute to the efficiency and stability of global
financial markets
3. Diversify sources of global demand, helping to stabilize
the world economy and diminish the risks posed
4. Provide leadership
5. Create regional mechanisms
The Imperative for Regionalism in Asia
• Openness and accommodating nature is what characterize Asian
regionalism
• In 1930’s, countries created preferential trade blocs

 The arrangements led to the collapse of international trade and

financial flows, accelerating the downward spiral of economic
activity

• Adopted the principle of nondiscrimination as a center pillar of the

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the forerunner of
the World trade Organization (WTO)
 Four Major Areas:

1.Trade, investment, and the integration of “real”

economic activity;
2.Financial integration;
3.Macroeconomic policy links; and
4.Shared social environmental concerns
The most prominent and enduring organizations
that emerged in the Asian region:
• ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

• APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation)

• APT (ASEAN Plus Three)

• EAS (East Asian Summit)

• APc (Asia Pacific community)

• EAC (East Asian Community)

ASEAN
A regional intergovernmental organization comprising
ten Southeast Asian countries which seeks to promote
intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic,
political, security, military, educational and socio-
cultural integration amongst it’s members and other
Asian countries, as well with the rest of the world.
Aims & Purposes
• To accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in
the region
• To promote regional peace and stability
• To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance
• To provide assistance to each other
• To collaborate more effectively for the greater utilization of their agricultural
and industries, the expansion of their trade, including the study of the problems
of international commodity trade.
• To promote Southeast Asian studies
• To maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and
regional organizations with similar aims and purposes and explore all avenues
for closer cooperation.
Fundamental Principles
• Mutual Respect for the independence, sovereignty,
equality, territorial integrity, and international identity of
all nations.
• The right of every State to lead it’s national existence free
from external interference
• Non-interference in the internal affairs of one another
• Settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner
• Renunciation of the threat
• Effective cooperation among themselves
ASEAN Community
 Known or its diverse range of instruments and treaties
which enhances cooperation, recognition and unity in
numerous aspects, internally, regionally and
internationally.
 Provides and discuss about various problems and global
issues, strengthening cooperation, and making
decisions.
 Promotes goodwill and diplomacy among countries,
shutting out any opinion or decision considered biased
while carrying the principle of non-interference and
mutual respect.
 Asian Regional
Organizations
APEC, EAS and APT
ASEAN Plus Three
 APEC
(The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation)
 is a regional economic forum established in the year 1989.

 APEC’s 21 members aim to create greater prosperity for the

people of the region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable,
innovative and secure growth and by accelerating regional
economic integration.
APEC’s 21 member economies are:
New Zealand Brunei Darussalam
Papua New Guinea Mexico
Peru Malaysia
Philippines Republic of Korea
The Russian Federation Japan
Singapore Indonesia
Chinese Taipei Hong Kong, China
Thailand People’s Republic of China
United States of America Chile
Vietnam Canada
Australia
 APEC operates as a cooperative multilateral economic and trade forum.
 All economies have an equal say and decision making is reached by
consensus.
 APEC’s structure is based on both a “bottom-up” and “top-down”
approach.
 Four Committees and their respective working groups provide strategic
policy recommendations to APEC Leaders and Ministers who annually
set the vision for overarching goals and initiatives.
 The 21 APEC member economies work towards the realization of free
and open trade and investment in the Pacific Asia by 2020
 The establishment of greater regional community to address the
economic and social dimensions of development- a commitment made
by the APEC Leaders in 1994 known as the Bogor Goals.
 EAS
East Asian Summit
• The East Asia Summit is a unique Leaders-led forum of
18 countries of the Asia-Pacific Region
• It is formed to further the objectives of regional peace,
security, and prosperity.
• Established in 2005, EAS allows the principal players in
the Asia-Pacific region to discuss the issues of common
interest and concern, in an open and transparent manner,
at the highest level.
 The membership of EAS consist of Ten ASEAN
member States
Others are:
Australia Vietnam
China Philippines
India Thailand
Japan Singapore
New Zealand Myanmar
Republic of Korea Malaysia
Russian Federation Lao PDR
USA Indonesia
Brunei Darussalam Cambodia

 The concept of East Asia Grouping was first promoted in 1991 by then Malaysian Prime
Minister, Mahathir bin Mohamad.
 APT ASEAN Plus Three
 ASEAN+3 cooperation began in December 2007 Institutionalized in
1999 when the Leaders issued a Joint Statement on East Asia
Cooperation at their third ASEAN+3 Summit in Manila.
 ASEAN agreed to strengthen partnership with the People’s Republic of
China (PRC), The Republic of Korea, and Japan.
 ASEAN Plus Three (APT) can be considered as 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, Japan, and the
South Korea.
 APT is the latest development of East Asian regional co-operation.
 Risks in Building an Asian Economic Community:
KNOWN RISKS
ISSUES AND CONCERNS OF ASIAN REGIONALISM
• Unpredictable economic climate
• A deepening credit crisis
• Falling dollar
• Sudden Unwinding of current account imbalances
• Rapidly rising energy, food and other commodity prices
• Adverse effects of global warming

Other Known Risks

• New health or security threats – can make flow of people and goods more
difficult and expensive
• Environmental Damage – radical changes in economic policies
• Social Instability – generate tensions and uncertainty
 Risks in Building an Asian Economic Community:
UNKNOWN RISKS
• Financial Contagion
• Deadly Diseases
Ex: SARS and Avian Flu

Risks in Building an Asian Economic Community: UNKNOWN

RISKS
1. Did not play a role in major and longstanding regional conflicts or in the
management of maritime territorial disputes
• Ex: Cold War period, Spratly Islands dispute, Senkaku/Daoyutai Islands
2. Failure to make use of Available Instruments of conflict-prevention and resolution
• No dispute-settlement mechanism
3. Failure of Regional trust-building
• Emergence of significant arms race across the region
Criticisms against Asian Regionalism:
4. No regional free-trade
• Bilateral trade arrangements instead of free-trade

5. No standing regional humanitarian and disaster assistance

mechanism
• No regional peacekeeping force

6. Lagging with regards to human rights and social issues

• No significant social agenda
• Have not addressed the vital issues of environmental degradation
THANK YOU!