Group 1: ASEAN’s Centrality Undermined by China-US Competition §

(F) Day of the week: Wednesday Class: IS210 Created Time: June 3, 2020 2:10 PM Database: Class Notes Database Date: June 3, 2020 2:10 PM Days Till Date: Passed Last Edited Time: June 9, 2021 10:39 AM Type: Presentation Notes

Introduction §

After cold-war ASEAN played centrality role for regional security

• ARF: failed to handle SCS & Trade War

ASEAN Way & Centrality §

Centrality Role §

• The hosting of meetings
• New ties of political and economic
• Maintain and enhance ASEAN leading role in East Asia regionalism

What is ASEAN Way? §

• Cooperate in all aspects except sensitive issues

Treaty of Amity and Cooperation

• ARF: not effective in making actions, no binding power, prevent conflicts, not solve them
• Consensus based decision making ⇒ hard to take any actions

Weakness of ASEAN Way §

• Less human rights
• Unsolved disputes (non consensus)
• Neighbors conflicts

China-US Regional Conflict §

After Cold War China rise

Major power competition

China-US Trade War: 2018 §

Impose 25% tariffs on Imported Chinese goods.

Real Intention:

• Stop china from growing to compete with US in domestic Market

South China Sea Dispute: 1974 §

Overlapping territories in ASEAN and China

US Fears: China control of SCS will challenge US’s trade routes

China wants bilateral negotiation | ASEAN wants multilateral negotiation

China’s and US’s involvement destroys unity in ASEAN

Failure in Handling Regional Disputes §

1. Lacking unity in the region
   • Diversity of different kinds, many different interests
2. Hard to reach consensus
   • Thailand-Cambodia conflict: no permission from Thailand for involvements
   • Malaysia-Indonesia conflict: 2 islands
3. Respecting sovereignty and non-interference norm
   • Cannot interfere in human rights violation in the region (Rohingya)

Conclusion §