What is the Asia-

Asia-Pacific Region?
g

Professor Carl Thayer

Presentation to
Centre of Defence and Strategic Studies
March 9, 2010
 Learning Objectives
Differing usage of Asia
Pacific as a term/concept

Role of regions in
i t
international
ti l politics
liti

Sub-regions and the Asia

g
Pacific regionalism
 Learning Objectives
Shared characteristics and
patterns of interaction

Factors contributing to
regional integration

Factors contributing to
regional fragmentation
1. Different ways
y in which Asia-
Pacific may be understood
 Evolving Conception of Asia Pacific

• Colonial era – The Far East

• Pan
Pan--Asianism – ‘Asia
Asia for the Asiatics’
Asiatics
• Washington Conference 1921-
1921-22
• Japan’s Greater East Asia Co-
Co-
prosperity Sphere (1940)
• War in the Pacific (1941-
(1941-45)
E ol ing Pacific Comm
Evolving Community
nit

• 1966 Asian Development Bank

• 1968 PPacific
ifi Trade
T d and
d Development
D l
Conference (PAFTAD)
– economists
• 1969
969 Pacific
ac c Basin
as Economic
co o c Cou
Council
c
(PBEC)
– Business persons
 Evolving
g Concept
p of the Asia-Pacific

• 1974 UN Economic and Social

Commission for Asia and the Pacific
• 1980 Pacific Economic Cooperation
Council (PECC)
– Tripartite: government, industry,
academics
• 1989 Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC)
Gareth Evans’ Eastern Hemisphere
p
Asia--Pacific: What
Asia What’ss in a name?

•Asia •Pacific Basin

•The Pacific •Pacific
•Asia Pacific Community
•Asia
Asia--Pacific •East Asia
•Pacific Asia •Asia
Asia--Pacific
•Pacific Rim Community
 2. The Region and
International Politics
• A level of analysis between the systemic
(global)
g level and nation-
nation-state level
• A way of ordering world politics – patterns
of enmity and amity
• Boundaries determine membership; they
serve to include as well as exclude.
• Regional communities require a sense of
regionalism or regional identity
What is a region?
g Two Views

• A region is a territory that is unified by a set

of common factors such a geographical
proximity,
i it climate,
li t economic i integration,
i t ti
trade, culture, religion, shared history and/or
strategic interaction
interaction.
• A region is an artificial geo
geo--political construct
designed by statesmen
statesmen, academics and others
(military and businessmen) to serve a specific
policy purpose.
The ‘region’
region and the United Nations

• Chapter VI – regional agencies have a role

in managing security subject to the overall
authority of the UN
• Chapter
Ch t VIII members b enjoined
j i d to
t settle
ttl
local disputes peacefully through regional
arrangements
a angements before
befo e taking upp iss
issue
e with
ith
Security Council.
The ‘region’
g and the United Nations
Based on tradition, UN members are organised
into five regional groups mainly for the
purposes of nominating candidates for election.
Th
These groups are:
1. Africa
2
2. Asia
3. Eastern Europe
4. Latin America and the Caribbean
5. Western Europe and Others Group (includes
Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United
S
States))
U.S. Pacific Command ((PACOM))
US ‘Hub and Spokes’ Model

Japan
Japan

ANZUS
South
Korea

USA
Thailand Taiwan

Philippines
pp
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
 3. Sub-
APEC
regions and
the Asia-
Asia
ARF Pacific

• Plus 3: China
APT Japan, South
Korea

• ASEAN + 3
EAS + India,, NZ
and Australia
ASEAN (not Asian) Regional Forum
 5. Asia
Asia--Pacific Region:
g
Integrative Factors

• Globalization
• Growth
G th off iintra-
intra
t -regional
i l trade
t d
• Sea lines of communication
• United States economic and security
presence
• Multilateral institutions
• Ideational factors and norms
 6. Asia
Asia--Pacific Region:
g
Factors of Fragmentation

• Region –v- sub

sub--region
• Divided states (Korea
(Korea, China)
• Conflicting territorial claims (SCS)
• Rogue states (Myanmar, North Korea)
• Socio
Socio--economic disparities
p
• ‘Arc of instability’ and potential failed
states (Timor-
(Timor-Leste)
Kevin Rudd’s Asia Pacific Communityy
• We need to have a vision for an Asia Pacific
Community, a vision that embraces:
– A regional institution which spans the entire Asia-
Pacific
f region – including
l d the
h United d States, Japan,
China, India, Indonesia and the other states of the
region
g
– A regional institution which is able to engage in the
full spectrum of dialogue, cooperation and action on
economic i andd political
liti l matters
tt and
d future
f t challenges
h ll
to security
• ‘It’s Time to Build an Ania Pacific Community’, Address to the
Asia Society AustralAsia Centre, Sydney, June 4, 2008
 USA

Japan China

Core
Group
India Indonesia

Australia
APEC ARF EAS
ARF at
APT at Too many
working
core+ India members
level

Economies No head of
Hong Kong state + Russia?
& Taiwan summit

EU + South EU is a
+ USA?
America member
b
 USA

China Japan
p

India
Group of 8 Indonesia
or Group of 10

South Australia
Korea
R i
Russia
 Asia Pacific
C/community

APEC ARF

EAS
 Umbrella
Group
G6/8/10?

APEC EAS
economic security
i
issues issues
What is the Asia-
Asia-Pacific Region?
g

Professor Carl Thayer

Presentation to
Centre of Defence and Strategic Studies
March 9, 2010