Chapter 1: What and Why Southeast Asia? §

(F) Day of the week: Wednesday Class: IS210 Created Time: March 4, 2020 2:04 PM Database: Class Notes Database Date: March 4, 2020 2:04 PM Days Till Date: Passed Last Edited Time: June 9, 2021 10:42 AM Provided Materials: Chapter-1-SEA-2019-2020-AA.pdf Type: Lecture

Introduction §

ASEAN created during the Cold War 1967

Why: to maintain conflict between the democratic and socialist blocks.

Contain communism in Southeast Asia

Concern of ⇒ less autonomy

• Communistic powers
• Concern of America interference on SEA countries ⇒

Post-Cold War:

• Less concern of security ⇒ focus on economic and cooperation

• Expansion of membership (Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar)

• New concern of China influence/rise to hegemony

  China might want SEA countries to switch from capitalist to socialistic practices

ASEAN Two Levels of IR §

a. The Bilateral Level §

🤝 ASEAN state< = > ASEAN state ASEAN < = > Non-ASEAN

Bilateral Relations is needed because of national interests, but it undermines Multilateral Relations

Countries can select their partners more carefully without the burden of smaller member countries.

b. The Multilateral Level §

🤝 ASEAN members < = > ASEAN All ASEAN 10 members < = > Non-ASEAN/IOs

Multilateral Relations helps smaller ASEAN members get trade agreements and relations with a bigger voice (ASEAN)

ASEAN Centrality §

2007 Charter

• To have many relations and connections in the international community with ASEAN as the Chair

• To stop bilateral relations from conflicting with one another ⇒ as a central point for trades

  Cooperate with trade partners using ASEAN methods to stop conflicts

Post-Cold War in Southeast Asia §

interests switch to

• ASEAN integration in globalization
• China rising power
• Regional power competition

Due to uncertainty of US and Japan’s reaction to rise of China

⇒ ASEAN Centrality with multilateral diplomacy

bilateral and multilateral relations undermines ASEAN’s Centrality

Political Interests of ASEAN §

Western liberal democracy spreaded in Post-Cold War due to collapse of Socialism

Western civil and political rights still not integrated in ASEAN due to ASEAN Values

China constraints on democratization and encourages authoritarian

🤝 Diversity of ASEAN(rich/poor) makes the need for bilateral relations ASEAN members are small and less influential cannot act as central of international trades.

Traditional Threats in SEA §

• SEA interstate conflicts has decreased: minor conflicts
• Increase in super power conflict for domination
• Conflict with China: South China Sea

Non-Traditional Threats in SEA §

• base of terrorist groups operations
• Illegal trade, human trafficking
• Outbreak of contagious disease
• Natural Disasters

🤴 ASEAN cannot deal with it’s internal problems therefore cannot act as chair of International Trade

Economic Interests of ASEAN §

• Growing importance of the region for economy

• Rich potential resources (Myanmar, Laos)

• NIS (export-led)

  More export than imports ⇒ better comparative advantage⇒ Economic Growth

  • Countries

    Indonesia

    Malaysia

    Singapore

    Thailand

    Vietnam

    Philippines

• Many regional mechanisms (trade agreements…)

Where is SEA? §

Differences between ASEAN States §

1. Linguistic §

3 Continental linguistic groups

• Austro-Asiatic Group
• Tibeto-Burman
• Tai

Maritime SEA

• Austronesia
• Malayo-Polynesian

2. Ethnic §

Indonesia 300 different ethnic groups

5% Chinese in SEA

3. Religion §

Mainland SEA: Indic Culture

• Theravada Buddhism

Maritime SEA

• Islam

Vietnam

• Toaism
• Mhayana Buddhism
• Confucianism

Singapore: multicultural

4. History §

• Thailand, Myanmar invasion 1767

• Laos, Thai invasion 1827

• Cambodia Thailand tension

• Fear of Pan-Indonesian radicalism

  After colonial powers separated Indonesian tribes, Indonesia nationalism wanted to unify the country back with fightback from tribes and international community

  5 power arrangement

• Members territorial disputes with each other

5. Politics §

• Division between Non-Communist & Communist
• Post Cold-War different political regimes

6. Economic Inequalities §

SEA consists of all categories of economic prosperity(rich to poor) ⇒ different interests/capacities

Regionalism in SEA §

Unity out of diversity

curated by SEA leaders

• More members look better

IR Perspective on SEA §

Realism §

• Values sovereignty, non-interference, self-reliance
• Institutions isn’t effective, no autonomy

Liberalism §

• The idea/goal of ASEAN wants autonomous Institution but not in reality, and will never be because SEA Leader’s Asian Values

Constructivism §

• Not enough common identity to act as one unit: geographical proximity
• ASEAN members values national interests > Regional Identity