Building ASEAN security community and East Asian cooperation with the great powers -- a constructivist perspective

Abstract

Fifteenth ASEAN Summit in 2009 was held in Cha-Am Hua Hin, Thailand, 23-25 October 2009, Expressing grief at the recent loss of life, properties and livelihoods from the impact of disasters that have been experienced by countries in the 4th East Asia Summit (EAS) and in the Asia-Pacific region; and also expressing deep concern at the long-term negative social, economic and environmental consequences for nations which hamper the achievement of their sustainable development, particularly in achieving the internationally agreed development strategies, including the Millennium Development Goals and regional integration processes; Community-building is quite a new concept in East Asia, which for the purpose of this article consists of Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia. In Southeast Asia, where ASEAN has been promoting regional cooperation for 42 years, community-building only recently became a serious agenda item. At the ninth ASEAN Summit in Bali in October 2003, leaders of the ten ASEAN member states declared their intention to build the ASEAN Community by 2020. They agreed in January 2007 to speed up the process and to create an ASEAN Community by 2015. Both China and Japan want to play important role in the 4th EAS - U.S. allied still exists in East Asia. China has strengthened relations with all ASEAN member states in this region, China also wants to exclude the U.S. participation or reduce U.S. influence from East Asia. Having signed "Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, TAC" in Southeast Asia, Australia and Newzeland have been invited to join EAS as well. In terms of regional integration, China would play the dominant role in the future. Japan also has proposed "East Asian Community" and tried to find political and economic integration of this new concept, the 4th EAS may probably be only a "East Asian Forum" and need to be carefully observed. This paper analyses how ASEAN grasps the very precious opportunity to be main actor in the region. China will also compete with the U.S., Japan and other Asian big powers like India, Russia and South Korea to enhance its influence. EAS would build a "East Asia free trade area" to integrate 16 East Asian countries in the near 10 to 15 years. What role will the ASEAN play in building and how it integrates the East Asia's political and economy. On a theoretical level, the hypothesized agency of the "international state" in Wendtian constructivism does not truly apply to the 'ASEAN state', which remains weak (and, in many portions, undemocratic) with processes and structures which tend not to deepen aspects of human security. Furthermore, the character of ASEAN diplomatic and security culture (the 'ASEAN way') tends at times to be an impediment rather than an enhancer or agency for human security. Although this paper adopts his approach.