Lwin
Lwin Aung, 2016, IUJ
Introduction
Nowadays, all
nations want to emphasize their national interest and resort to a wide range of
ways and means to get the upper hand. And then, globalization as development
in Information Technology as has bridged the gap between nations, forcing the
nations to abandon their closed-door policy with the result to improve
political, economic and social cooperation. The United States and the Soviet
Union carried out cold war at the end of World War II. In South East Asia
region, some nations want to prevent the intervention of superpower countries
and to cooperate with another nation in the region.
The original aim of ASEAN was to prevent
communism from penetrating into the countries in the region. And what is more, the
association aimed at the establishment of affluent societies through economic
co-ordinations and effectuations of regional stability and peace. The world
super power countries interested in South East Asia region because these
countries want to deploy as power projection troops in Asia-Pacific Region. These
countries assumed that South East Asia region become a geopolitically strategic
region.
Moreover, ASEAN serves as a
bridge between Indian and Pacific Ocean. In South East Asia region, countries possessed many peninsula and islands having
tapering shape. The natural resources are abundant and coupled with the marine
territory; it has become a region of global strategic importance. The Southeast
Asia region is possessed with many port towns. These are vital to the
communication route in the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. All above
factors are made the region of Southeast Asia become a geopolitically strategic
region.
Research
Question and Hypothesis
This paper aims at analyzing the impacts on the members
of the political, military, economic, and security co-operations among the members
and China. The paper will describe the possible answers to
the questions: “What are the favorable outcomes of cooperation between
ASEAN and China?”
Literature
Review
Nazia Hussain, the author of
“Sino-ASEAN Relations: Implications of a rising China for ASEAN”, describe the
superpower of China and how to influence other nation by using this power[1]. Jing-dong
Yuan, the author of “China-ASEAN Relations: Perspectives, Prospects and
Implications for U.S. Interests”, describe the two superpower nation of China
and the United States tried to influence ASEAN and to cooperated with ASEAN in
political, economic and socio-cultural sector[2].
Brief
of ASEAN
On 8 August, 1967, ASEAN
was founded with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration by Indonesia, the
Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. ASEAN want to cooperate in
economic, social and cultural areas. The First ASEAN Summit held on 24 February
1976 and ASEAN countries signed and declared the Treaty of Amity and
Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia that in their relations with one another. And
then, Brunei Darussalam joined on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995,
Myanmar and Laos PDR on 23 July 1997 and Cambodia on 30 April 1999 respectively
continued to become ASEAN members so that now ASEAN has (10) member- countries[3].
After being a member
country, all ASEAN nations signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. TAC
means a treaty of peace among Southeast Asian nations. The aims of the TAC are
to improve peace, amity and cooperation, and to respect for mutual equality, sovereignty,
territorial integrity and national identity among the ASEAN nations. China and
India, as a dialogue partner country, were first signed the TAC in 2003. And
also, other dialogue partner countries of ASEAN were signed TAC.
Objectives
of ASEAN
The objectives of ASEAN
are based on equality and cooperation for implementation of economic, social
and cultural development with momentum, to improve regional peace and stability
based on justice and rule of law and order, and for bilateral cooperation and reciprocal
assistance in economic, social, cultural, technology, science and administrative
fields. In 1995, the ASEAN Heads of State and Government reaffirmed that “Cooperative
peace and shared prosperity shall be the fundamental goals of ASEAN”.
Fundamental
principles of ASEAN
The fundamental
principles of ASEAN are Mutual respect for the independence of all nations and Non-interference
in the internal affairs of one another; peacefully solve disputes in the region
by diplomatic means.
Brief
history of China
China’s foreign policies
are to safeguard the independence of the State, rights of freedom, territorial
integrity and its sovereignty, cooperation for world peace and cooperation
between peoples of the world and to oppose aggressive wars. Formerly, China
tried to spread Communism thinking. And China had been supporting Communist
groups in South- East Asian nations. After the death of Mao Zedong, together
with changes process of Deng Xiaoping, China’s relations improved with South -
East Asian countries. China stopped supporting the Communists in those
countries. It promoted bilateral trade, so relations improved. Today, China and
South- East Asian nations are in good relations. There are some obstacles
between China and Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan and
Brunei because of disputes due to ownership of Pratley and Paracel Islands.
Formation
of ASEAN+3
In June 1997, the
monetary crisis caused in Thailand, spread quickly to ASEAN member - nations
and Asian countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and
South Korea. First, they had to face
excessive fall in the value of Asian currencies and secondly, fall in values of
Asian markets stocks with momentum. The Asian countries came to know that they
could not rely on International Monetary fund and world powers in the monetary
crisis, and the need to be more united among them.
The Asian countries
learned a lesson from the economic crisis and knew to be more united among East
Asian nations for the development of their economy. The three East Asian
countries offered ASEAN for cooperation in economic, social and security
matters. The ASEAN accepted the offer so the ASEAN+3 are gradually becoming.
Japan became ASEAN’s dialogue partner in 1977, Republic of Korea in 1992, and
the People’s Republic of China in 1996.
External
Relations of ASEAN
ASEAN
External Relations with the United States, India, New Zealand, Australia, South
Korea, China, Japan, Canada, European Union, Russia, Pakistan and UNDP. ASEAN
want to develop friendly and beneficial relations with their dialogue
partnership countries and more cooperate with these countries in economic
sectors, regional and international issues.
Relations
between ASEAN and the United States
The
United States became a dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1977. There are the
cooperation in the development of technology and human resources, market and
export and import of goods and services, shipping security and food security
between ASEAN and the United States. In 2009, the United States acceded and signed
the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in ASEAN.
The United States is the
most powerful country in the world and some ASEAN countries have good relations
with the United States. Therefore, the role of the United States plays an
important role in maintaining stability, peace and security, maritime security
in this region. Under the ASEAN Regional Framework, the cooperation between the
United States and ASEAN is to promote security of maritime with momentum in
providing the assistance of the United States.
In economic sector, the
foreign direct investment of the United States to ASEAN countries is USD 13.04
billion in 2014. Therefore, the United States is the third largest FDI of ASEAN
and it shared the 9.6% of ASEAN investment. According to ASEAN Statistics, there are 3.24 million tourists of the
United States who travel around ASEAN region in 2014. The United States is the
sixth tourists for ASEAN.
In socio-culture sector,
there are the number of cooperation between ASEAN and the U.S. The United
States is to provide the long term of English Learning in education sector with
Fulbright Specialists and Scholars. Thus, they promote and improve to the
capacity building of human. The United States want to promote and provide the
formation of women and children right in this region.
Relations
between ASEAN and Japan
Japan and ASEAN started
the relations of informal dialogue partner in 1973 and Japan became an official
dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1977. . In 2004, Japan acceded and signed the
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in ASEAN. In security sector, the Joint
Declaration for Cooperation between ASEAN and Japan is to combat international
terrorism, cybercrime and transnational crime. In 2014, the amount of trade
between Japan and ASEAN has USD 229.1 billion.
In economic sector, the
foreign direct investment of Japan to ASEAN countries is USD 13.4 billion in
2014. Therefore, Japan is the second largest FDI of ASEAN and it shared the
9.8% of ASEAN investment. In 2012, ASEAN and Japan adopted 10-year Strategic
Economic Cooperation Roadmap (2012 to 2022). The aims of this Roadmap is to
more promote trade and investment between ASEAN and Japan that including the
development of economic legal framework, the enterprises of small and medium,
science and technology, information and communication technologies, healthcare,
education, transportation and human resources.
In socio-cultural sector,
Japan is improving the exchange students between ASEAN and Japan. This exchange
program is to provide approximately
6,300 students in five years. Japan support USD 30 million to the public health
in ASEAN member nations. Japan also provides the assistance to ASEAN in
disaster management.
Relations
between ASEAN and China
In 1991 China attended an ASEAN Ministerial Meeting held
in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as an observer and in July 1996, it became a full
dialogue partner. (The 24th ASEAN Foreign Ministerial
Meeting was held in Jakarta, Indonesia). On 30th October 2006, the 15th
Sino-ASEAN summit was held in Nanning. A statement was issued at the meeting
saying that ASEAN-China Free Trade Area must be completed in 2010, to establish
an ASEAN-China center, to promote investments and tourism and cooperation in
all other sectors. China wanted military and defense cooperation, with ASEAN
countries. China would continue to make efforts for a way to solve dispute on
territorial rights in South China Sea. ASEAN and China cooperate in three
cooperation whereas political and security cooperation, economic cooperation
and socio-culture cooperation.
Political
and Security cooperation
After being an official dialogue partner, China has
accepted the TAC and also the Protocol to the Southeast Asian
Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty. In 200, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed by ASEAN and China and then
renew in 2009. This MOU is to prevent and prohibit many issues in the field of
non-traditional security issues such as money laundering, human trafficking, drug
trafficking, sea piracy, international economic crime and cyber-crime. Multi-sectors
include in ASEAN-China defense cooperation such as reciprocal visits of
military delegations, as well as military trainees and joint military
exercises. China is exporting weapons and military equipment to (7) ASEAN
nations. In November 2004, the first ARF Security Conference was held in
Beijing where security policies were discussed.
There are some challenges in political and security
cooperation of ASEAN-China relations. Demands for ownership of
Spratly and Paracel Island in South China Sea are biggest disputes in ASEAN and
China. The Spratly Islands is situated in South
China Sea from the Northwest of Saha Province in Malaysia about 265 kilometers.
There are altogether 53 rocks, beaches and small isles which are spread over
1,000 miles along the sea.
The
Spratly Islands are believed to be located in oil and natural gas rich parts of
the sea. Moreover, the Spratly Islands have many natural resources and it is
the one of the most importance of trade islands in the South China Sea. These
islands exceed in quantity the potential oil output from South China Sea. It is estimated that about 30,000 million tons of crude oil and
200 million cubic feet of natural gas can be produced. The income of the
fishery industry in this region is USD three billion yearly. All above facts
showed that the Spratly Islands is an economically attractive area and
geopolitics’ region for some of ASEAN countries and China. The Spratly Islands claimed by Vietnam,
China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan.
Another
island group, The Paracel Islands is disputed by China, Vietnam, and Taiwan. There
is an arrangement between ASEAN-China for solving the South China Sea issue. ASEAN
want to solve the problem collectively but China wants to solve it country
-wise. So there are still different attitudes. It is reviewed that the South
China Sea issue should be solved quickly as ASEAN-China relations might be ruined
at any time.
The
18th ASEAN- China Summit released a statement for these territory
disputes that ASEAN and China make to ensure the full and effective
implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China
Sea (DOC) in its entirety. This statement is to maintain, build and improve
mutual respect and trust between ASEAN and China and to resolve their dispute
with peaceful means including friendly negotiations and consultations. In these
island disputes, ASEAN and China adhere to the international law including United Nations Convention on the Law of the
Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).
Economic
cooperation
In November 2002, an
ASEAN - China summit was held in Cambodia where they signed an agreement for
ASEAN-China economic cooperation. The agreement included the establishment of
free trade zone in (10) years between ASEAN and China. In 2011, ASEAN and China
built an ACFTA Joint Committee (ACFTA-JC) for implementing the ASEAN-China Free
Trade Area (ACFTA). The main tasks of the ACFTA-JC consist supervising,
overseeing, coordinating, cooperation and reviewing the fulfillment of the Agreement.
The ACFTA was realized on 1
January 2010. On 1 January 2015, the ACFTA took full effect in economic
cooperation. There will be tax reduction in the State level.
The benefit is
establishment of a large environment between ASEAN and China. Trade between
ASEAN and China had speedily developed. China’s reduction of rules and the opening
of market are opportunities for ASEAN countries. And China’s strong economy
leads to regional cooperation and benefits. Since 2009, China is the largest
trading partner of ASEAN and ASEAN is the third largest trading partner of
China. At the 18th ASEAN-China Summit, the ASEAN Leaders want to obtain
the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) and to build
the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with the China’s supporting.
And also, China supports the Initiatives for ASEAN Integration and its
post-2015 agenda.
In 2013, China’s export
value was USD 886.7 billion and its import value was USD 866.7 billion. At the
same year, ASEAN’s export value was USD 114.139 billion and its import value
was USD 199.402 billion with China. Therefore, there is a trade surplus for
ASEAN and a trade deficit for China. China invests ASEAN member countries
whereas the outflows of Chinese direct foreign investment (FDI) was USD 8.9
billion to ASEAN. Thus, the percentage of total FDI inflows in ASEAN is 7.1
percent.
On agriculture sector, China
provides and helps the training courses on the technologies of agriculture that
to promote the agricultural economy and rural people in ASEAN member states. These training courses are to emerge
agricultural technicians and convert the traditional agriculture to modern and
developed industrial agriculture. Half or more of the population lives in rural
area in some ASEAN countries because these countries are based on agriculture
sector. ASEAN and China focus on upgrading cooperation in the
development of human resource. There
was the MOU between ASEAN and China for agriculture cooperation from 2007 to
2011. This MOU was expired in 2011 and then ASEAN and China renewed in 2013 for
next five years.
The
communication technology is the most important role in global. With the
development of information and communication technology, person who live one
side of the world, connect to another person who live another side of the world
at any time. Therefore, ASEAN and China want to promote the information and
communication technology sector in ASEAN member countries. China assists the
development of ICT related activities in ASEAN member nations. In 2013, the MOU
of the cooperation in ICT signed by ASEAN and China. This MOU consists the
development of Internet of Things in network security, smart city and
telecommunication.
In
2004, there is a MOU on transport communication between ASEAN and China. The
aims of MOU are to promote cooperation in the transport areas such as
infrastructure, facilitation, maritime and air transport. ASEAN region attracts
all tourists in the world because there are many ancient and traditional
culture and most attraction places such as natural waterfall, beautiful beach
and so on. According to ASEAN Statistics, there are 12.65 million Chinese
tourists who travel around ASEAN region in 2014. China is the one of the most
beautiful countries in world. So, in the same year, China received around 5.99
million tourists from ASEAN.
China gained upper hand
yearly in ASEAN- China trade by exporting electrical materials, iron and steel
and mechanical equipment. ASEAN exports to China transistors, semi-conductors,
automatic data processing machines, spare parts and communication equipment.
ASEAN imports from China spare parts of office materials, communication
equipment, transistors, semi-conductors and electrical spare parts.
Socio-cultural cooperation
ASEAN and China will have to contact more closely so
the following chances in social can be gained -
(a) Extended cultural exchanges,
(b) More human resource
development by exchange of educational assistances,
(c) Cooperation and assistances in health (or)
standard implementation of the organization will be more effective than each
nation’s activity,
(d) Diplomatic skill will be stronger by
organization-wise stance and protection against super powers accusations and
pressures relating to human rights.
In
socio-cultural sector, there are many cooperation activities between ASEAN and
China. These cooperation activities are to promote and carry out in many areas
such as the public health, education, labor, science and technology, media, culture,
preserving natural environment, natural disasters management, youths, social
development, social security and poverty reduction.
In health sector, ASEAN and China want to control the
communicable diseases especially HIV and AIDS, dengue fever, plague and malaria
in border areas. ASEAN and China want to share the experience on using the
medicine of tradition in public health care. The traditional medicine is very
useful and beneficial in these regions because people, who live in these areas,
believe and use more traditional medicine than modern medicine.
In education sector, the cooperation of ASEAN and China
provide the exchanges of knowledge and scientific research and the scholarship opportunities
of higher education for people. This cooperation provide for building the
infrastructure of education such as universities, colleges and schools. China
provides the training courses for labors that do not have skills on job
training for ASEAN member countries and they want to work in China.
There has a Plan of Action in China-ASEAN Cultural
Cooperation. This plan exchanges the traditional culture between ASEAN nations
and China. And then, this plan is to maintain the traditional culture and share
the norms of culture of these nations.
This plan was adopted the 10th ASEAN-China Cultural Forum.
The Forum discussed new cultural partnerships in relation to the establishment
of the ASEAN Community.
There
are twenty five percent of the world’s tropical forests in Southeast Asia
region. The annual of depleting forests rate is 1.2 percent in this region that
has come to witness deterioration of natural environment like
deforestation, soil quality deterioration, desertification and losses of
cultivable land. Deforestation is the one factor of the change the global
climate. The nature of environmental degradation is to effect on all nations in
the world. The immediate effect of such environmental problems concern the
respective nation only but the remote effect is the whole region’s concern.
In
Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, One-third of the forests depleted during the past
20 years. There are a wide range of causes but the major causes are illegal
logging, reclamation of land, cutting of firewood and
forest fire. The business of illegal logging is flourishing along the border of
Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Borneo of Malaysia and Indonesia. ASEAN-China environmental cooperation is
implemented the activities and programmes that were designed to prevent natural
environment. These activities include Ecological and Biodiversity protection
cooperation, Green Envoys program and environment technology cooperation. The
MOU of disaster management was signed by China and ASEAN on 6 October 2014.
In
youth sector of ASEAN and China, there are many activities and programmes to be
held regularly and annually between ASEAN and China. The objectives of these
activities and programmes are to improve the mutual respect and trust,
cooperation and understanding between the Chinese and ASEAN young people. And
then, they are more contributed and promoted the development of social
cooperation and regional economic.
Conclusion
ASEAN has been existing
for over (40) years, and its cooperation with China has been more than (15)
years. Moreover, protection from spread of diseases across the border, joint
elimination and exchange of experiences in health sector should be conducted by
cooperation in health. ASEAN and China are implementing cooperation in natural
disasters and emergencies by holding workshops. Pre -arrangements should be
done for advance warnings such as Tsunami natural disaster, so that cooperation
can be conducted in short time to provide assistance. ASEAN and China has an
agreement to eliminate cross border crimes. Accordingly, it is learnt that
international crimes eliminations can be done by cooperation between police
forces of each country. Similarly, its military capability is increasing day by
day, ASEAN- China cooperation is developing yearly in economic and social
fields.
At present days China is
greatly developing in economy. ASEAN’s largest trading partner is China and China’s
third trading partner is ASEAN. It is emerging as a strong group as there is an
enormous adjacent land area, large population, strong economy and military as
well. Through successful ASEAN-China cooperation, there will be ASEAN+ 3
cooperation which will become the world’s most powerful economic group. Although
ASEAN-China cooperation is not a military organization, it will become a mighty
organization in power balance of the world. It is learnt that ASEAN-China
cooperation will be able to protect against unilateral hegemony, more pressures
and threats from world powers. There might more dependence on each other as
regional security and stability could be developed. Military skills will be
improved by cooperation and joint military exercises with countries having
better military industrial technology in the region and by carrying out
reciprocal learning’s.
ASEAN and China agreed to
establish a department that China will provide funds for inland waterways
development in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. China has cleared all
barriers in Upper Mekong River waterways. China supported to provide (30)
million US dollars to Laos for development of Kunnming- Chenrai highway section
on Laotian side as Laos exists on the highway and for rebuilding of Kunnming -
Hegu to link with Asia’s railways. It has provided (5) million US dollars for
ASEAN- China cooperation funds. A group of ASEAN- China experts was founded to
deal in information, technology, agriculture, trade and economy,
transportation, social welfare, drugs control, health, space technology and
energy. An ASEAN- China Workshop was held in, Beijing, China from 12 to 26 May,
2006 on protection of emergency natural disasters.
The changes in world’s
situations in this age and the globalization process has turned Southeast Asia
region into one which is strategically important in political, military and
economic spheres. ASEAN is found to be an organization which has never witness
dramatic conflicts among its members since its formation, which took place over
40 years ago as well as to be able to have taken confidence building measures
on larger scale. Nations of Southeast Asian have been able to construct unity
within diversity.
Most of the nations in
this region, however, have shared one thing - that is they have had to struggle
for independence from their colonizers. With the independence
regained, they have undergone such bitter experiences as the political instabilities,
economic crises and the ideological struggle. They have been united to thwart these
evils despite existence of some difficulty and hardship in certain members. In
a nutshell, there are both challenges and opportunities awaiting ASEAN. It all
depend on the mutual trust, friendship, the willingness to help, the mentality and
above all unity for ASEAN to be able to overcome all the obstacles and to take
a chance on the opportunities prevailing to be fully prepared for the future threats
to Asia Pacific Region.
Reference
1.
Hussain,
Nazia. “Sino-ASEAN Relations: Implications of a rising China for ASEAN”
2.
Yuan,
Jing-dong. October 2006. “China-ASEAN Relations: Perspectives, Prospects and
Implications for U.S. Interests”
3.
Egberink,
Fenna and Frans-Paul van der Putten. April 2011. ASEAN, China’s rise and
geopolitical stability in Asia
4.
Chin,
James K. and Nicholas Thomas. 2005. “China and ASEAN: Changing political and
strategic ties”.
5.
Dahiya,
Bharat. 27 November, 2015. “How will the AEC affect ASEAN urbanisation?”.
http://www.eastasiaforum.org
6.
Foot,
Rosemary. Vol. 38, No. 5 (May, 1998), pp. 425-440. “China in the ASEAN Regional
Forum: Organizational Processes and Domestic Modes of Thought”
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