East Asia is often called a region with enormous economic and political potential. Countries situated on this region have different characteristics and prospects. Therefore, it just isn’t easy to shape regionalism on this region. Although actually the countries of the region have established cooperation in the shape of trilateral cooperation.
Trilateral cooperation, because the name suggests, is the cooperation of three East Asian countries, i.e. China, Japan and South Korea. This cooperation was first initiated inside ASEAN, on the ASEAN+3 forum held in 1997. The existence of this cooperation is inextricably linked to ASEAN’s role within the East Asian region, which at the moment sought to expand its scope by opening cooperation with non-ASEAN countries inside ASEAN+.
Due to the emergence of regionalism within the region, trilateral cooperation is anticipated to cut back the mutual distrust that causes conflict within the East Asian region. Reducing mutual distrust will favor the event of regionalism within the region.
East Asia: ideological conflicts, economic threats and security issues
East Asia is an enormous region consisting of China, Japan and Korea, which is split into two parts, North Korea and South Korea. The division of the region is inextricably linked to the impact of the ideological conflicts of the Cold War at the moment. The nuances of conflict emerging within the East Asian region are also influenced by the perception of individual countries within the region.
Regional integration on this region just isn’t a straightforward matter. China’s rise as a significant economic power could also be perceived as a threat by other countries. Moreover, the East Asian region can also be in danger when it comes to security. North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons has made other countries within the region very cautious.
The perception of every country within the East Asian region as a threat to the existence of other countries also exacerbates the emerging conflict. While there have been efforts to enhance relations between countries within the region lately, corresponding to dialogue between North and South Korea and the rapprochement of Japan and China, regionalism in East Asia is unlikely to take hold.
Additionally, there may be distrust about security within the region. This is clear in North Korea’s withdrawal from the six-party talks. The aim of the six-party talks was to offer the region with a framework for future multilateral cooperation. The talks discussed mechanisms for creating security and peace within the region, including denuclearization. However, North Korea’s withdrawal from the talks demonstrates its reluctance to cooperate and shows that the region continues to be not able to cooperate to make sure security and peace within the region.
Will ASEAN+3 be enough to create regionalism within the region?
There are several aspects to think about. First, the choice to exclude North Korea was a strategic mistake. The exclusion of North Korea, as a vital country within the region, from the ASEAN+3 agreement shows the shortage of uniformity in efforts towards regionalism. On the opposite hand, engaging North Korea can also be not a straightforward decision, given the mutual distrust prevailing within the region.
Secondly, the elemental differences between the countries of the region are difficult to beat. For example, Japan has an advanced history with Korea and China, while China and South Korea have significant political and ideological differences. This makes it difficult to construct trust and solidarity within the region.
Therefore, greater than just an ASEAN+3 agreement is required to create effective regionalism within the East Asian region. Above all, North Korea have to be included in regionalism efforts to make sure uniformity and fairness in these efforts. Moreover, the countries of the region should create more forums for dialogue and cooperation within the areas of economy, education and culture to strengthen solidarity and trust between the countries of the region.
Of course, creating regionalism in East Asia is a giant challenge. One of them is nuclear security, which have to be approached rigorously and correctly. Peace efforts and cooperation amongst countries within the East Asian region remain requirements that have to be met for the region to grow and develop harmoniously. Considering that one among the existence of regionalism can also be conflict prevention.
East Asia has enormous potential as a developed and influential economic region on the earth. However, to attain this goal, a joint effort by all countries within the region is required to tighten cooperation and strengthen mutual trust.
Reference:
Justyna Szczudlik-Tatar, Regionalism in East Asia: a bumpy road to Asian integration, Polish Institute of International Affairs 64, no. 16 (2013): 5
Ralph A. Cossa, “Northeast Asian Regionalism: A (Possible) Mean to an End for Washington,” Council on Foreign Relations (2009): 2.
Cossa, “Northeast Asian Regionalism: A (Possible) Means to an End for Washington,” 7
Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. (2018). Permanent Mission of the Republic of Indonesia to ASEAN: ASEAN Plus Three
