Open regionalism and network organization in APEC: Asean as a case study

Abstract

International organization (10) plays an important role in international arena. Its functions can be seen as a global player with general objectives or with specific roles. It is also can be seen as a regional player with general objectives or with limited roles. 10 can be divided into two categories, which, International Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) and Non-governmental Organization (NGO). 10 focuses in many aspects with regards to politics, economics, military and security and socio-cultural. The examples of IGO are, such as United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). International Red Cross Society, International Postal Union, and International Chamber of Commerce are examples of NGO. Interdependency within the nations makes 10 as an important actor in international politics. This is due to dramatic economic development within the nations. This paper intends to look into APEC as one of the IGO which function on regional basis and specifically focus on an economic integration in the Asia Pacific region. Since World War II, the Asia Pacific region became very important due to its tremendous economic achievement lead by Japan and the Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs) such as South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. This follows by the economic progress by ASEAN countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and lately Vietnam joined the chorus. The progress of these countries is due to internal stability and economic development in this region. With that, much attention was given by scholars to study on this regions economic development which was integrated through by the formation of APEC in November 1989. The objectives of APEC are to integrate economies in Asia Pacific region by trade liberalization, trade facilitation and economic and technical cooperation among its member economies. Since the formation of APEC in 1989, it has been critised as a loose and weak organization without a clear leadership role in theregion. If, APEC is a loose and weak organization, the question is, why is it still exist and active in international politics? Base on these primary question, the researcher assumes that the interests of which make APEC still standing as an important intergovernmental organization in the region. With major super power in APEC and the role of sub-groupings in APEC are the two major assumptions, that, the general purpose of this paper is to explain the role of APEC in the construction regionalism in the Asia Pacific region since 1989-2009. The specific objectives of this paper are to APEC and also to explain the importance of APEC to ASEAN, which, it is one of the sub-groupings analyze the importance of APEC to super power interest, to explain the role of the sub-groupings in in APEC. To explain and analyze these objectives, this paper will use the combination of regionalism (open-regionalism) theory and networks approaches.