243. SECURITY IN THE ASIAN THEATRE (PANEL IV)
243.
Panel Title : SECURITY IN THE ASIAN THEATRE (PANEL IV)
Chair : Hongshan Li
Participants :
Michael Postert
Paper Title : Energy security - ASEM as Stage of the Aggregation of Energy Interests
between the EU and Japan
Abstract :
What is it about? - ASEM as an intergovernmental organization is potentially an important structure and transmission channel for Japan and the EU to advance their energy policy interests. The EU and Japan are both undeniably major actors with significant leverage on the international stage. In an ever increasing globalized world it has become challenging for actors like the EU and Japan to protect their interests single handedly and to remain relevant. Why is it important? - East/South East Asia is arguably economically the most dynamic region in the world with the largest growth potential. Engaging the Asian region and providing stability to the need and use of energy in the Asian and European region is arguably a necessity for the EU and Japan. The question how an interregional forum like ASEM is used by its partners to advance their interests is an important perspective of interregionalism and to my understanding not sufficiently addressed in existing literature that focuses more on the interregional fora and regimes itself. I will use the policy area of energy security for my analysis. Both the EU and Asian countries are facing the same situation. They are short of energy and they are competing for energy sources. Review of theoretical approaches relevant to my research topic:- Keohane's concept of issue density proves to be a very useful tool to assess the inseparable interconnectedness of issues between states and regions. The more joint issues arise between Asia and Europe (or the EU and Japan to be more precise within the framework of my thesis) the more international cooperation between Asia and Europe pays off for its participants. The EU and Japan do have to investigate ways and do have to develop strategies how to adjust to the changing political environment in the energy field. It is interesting to see to what extent the interaction between the EU and Japan influences the outlook and actions of each, what impact it has on the two, what impact on the formation of Asian regionalism and what impact on US and other regional powers policies towards Asia. Management tools like the SWOT analysis or vision/mission definition should necessarily lead to a recommended course of action. Some approaches to structure situations with incomplete information are useful in the interregional context of the EU and Japan within ASEM and will be used in my paper. How to go about it and structure of the thesis? There are two sets of actors to be analyzed and to be related to each other on an aggregated level: The first set of actors consists of the EU and Japan. The second set of actors is the ASEM member states. This includes the EU and ASEAN+3. Both will be submit to analysis in separate chapters. ASEM minus the EU and Japan thus serves as an additional variable of EU/Japan energy interest aggregation. An analysis of the EU and Japan's energy strategies and approaches, with its vision, mission, strategic directions and core challenges will be introduced. This will be completed with an EU/Japan policy aggregation framework, with its actors, policy making, capabilities and instruments will be introduced. Consequently the respective energy related policies of the EU and Japan are introduced, followed by the EU policy aggregation framework. As a third step this framework will be related to the ASEM framework. The aim is thus not to just repeat the content of documents of official ASEM meetings, but to measure outcomes against the actual policy input, leverage and targets of the EU and Japan within the ASEM process.
Hongshan Li
Paper Title : Cultural Cold War in East Asia: Overlooked Battles the U.S., Mainland China,
and Taiwan, 1949-1979
Abstract :
As an important battleground, East Asia saw all kinds of actions between the two camps during the Cold War. However, most studies on the Cold War in East Asia have focused on military confrontations and political struggles such as the Korean War, Taiwan Straits Crises, and the Vietnam War. Little attention has been paid to the battles fought on cultural and educational fronts by the United States, mainland China, and Taiwan. The increasingly prolific researches on cultural Cold War have mostly concentrated on cultural infiltration and propaganda warfare between the United States and Soviet Union in Europe. By keeping a sharp focus on the cultural and educational interactions between the United States, mainland China, and Taiwan, this paper attempts to explore the overlooked dimension in the East Asia Cold War and enhance our understanding of its complexity. Based heavily on the government documents recently released by Washington, Beijing, and Taipei, this paper examines the origins, contents, goals, and impact of major educational and cultural programs implemented by the United States, mainland China, and Taiwan, major players in the East Asia Cold War, between 1949 and 1979. My study reveals that all three parties, while busy fighting in military and political arena, took actions in cultural and educational front during the Cold War years. Cultural and educational programs were designed and implement to weaken the enemies, and strengthen as well as restrain the allies. Although most cultural and educational programs had clear military and political goals, they all far reaching impacts on educational and cultural systems when fully implemented. There is no doubt that many of the programs were rather destructive, drastically reducing the mutual knowledge and understanding between the Americans and the Chinese on the mainland that had developed during the previous decades. However, the increasing emphasis on educational and cultural actions and interactions did allow the two major players, Washington and Beijing, to keep the Cold War cold despite Taipei's effort to push for the recovery of the mainland with force. The unique Cold War experience in East Asia has proved that ideological and political differences between different peoples could not be settled on the battlefield. Peoples with different cultural, political, and economic backgrounds only can live peacefully together based on better mutual knowledge and understanding through massive and lasting educational and cultural exchanges. It was with the lessons drawn from the Cold War that China and the United States began to normalize their relations with first steps taken to rebuild educational and cultural ties at the end of the 1970s.
Andrew Stephen Humphreys
Paper Title : The Forgotten Front: Malaysia, Thailand and the War Against Terror
Abstract :
Southeast Asia has often been referred to as the "Second Front" in America's global "War Against Terror." The literature overwhelmingly focuses on the "First Front" - that is, the Middle East. The small percentage of the literature which does examine Southeast Asia focuses almost exclusively on the terrorist problems in Indonesia and the Philippines (where US operations have perhaps been the most noticeable). What is noticeably absent from the literature is a thorough study of how the governments of Malaysia and Thailand have dealt with terrorism. Malaysia and Thailand have a common terrorist problem - that in southern Thailand. Terrorism in Southern Thailand is under-researched, rarely mentioned in the academic literature, let alone the mainstream media. This gap in academia needs to be filled, as the crisis in southern Thailand has killed close to two thousand people since 2004 alone and has the potential to undermine political stability and human security in both Thailand and Malaysia, and consequently in the region as a whole. On the issue of terrorism more generally, the Thai and Malay governments have both also played important, yet relatively unacknowledged, roles in the War on Terror so far. Several al Qaeda and JI operatives have been captured in Malaysia, while Hambali, one of the leaders of JI, was captured in Thailand as part of a joint operation between Thai police and the CIA. The terrorism problem in both Thailand and Malaysia is therefore multilayered, as the governments in these countries face not only local terrorist movements but international ones as well. My paper will deal with the effect terrorism has had on the domestic politics of Southeast Asia. The focus will be on Malaysia, with Thailand used as a comparison. It will analyse how Malaysia has viewed and dealt with terrorism (in southern Thailand and in general) and how its stance has affected its relationship with other governments, particularly Thailand. The paper will examine how terrorism itself has undermined democratic development and how the issue of terrorism more generally has been used by governments to reinforce their power and undermine human rights. Finally, the paper will discuss the growing link between Islam and nationalism in Malaysia and in southern Thailand and what repercussions this will have.
Greg Chaikin
Paper Title : Governance at the maritime frontier: Policy responses in an East Asian
context
Abstract :
Low intensity conflict over territory and resources in maritime East Asia is major problem for regional states. Geographical character invites boundary and island disputes, piracy, fisheries depletion, smuggling and pollution. In addition, regional adherence to the Principle of Non-Interference (PONI) and uneven intra- and inter-state capabilities, stymie initiatives in the reduction of maritime tensions and environmental degradation. This paper examines the concept of "maritime governance" and its application within an East Asian context. Despite policy acknowledgement of maritime conflict and ecological spoliation, policy implementation has been less effective at international, regional and domestic levels. This in part reflects the struggle between the exigencies of state development and international security. Institutional capacity is often not prioritised, due to political constraints and resource shortfalls. This is especially true in East Asia where regional states seek jurisdictional consolidation over territorial responsibilities assigned under 1994 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Pramod Kumar Mishra
Paper Title : Peoples Diplomacy For Peace Between India And Pakistan
Abstract :
At The Dawn Of The 21st Century People All Over The World Are Playing An Increasing Role In The Decision-Making Process In Both Domestic And Foreign Policies. A Number Of Peoples Organisations Are Literally Forcing Their Respective Governments To Forget The Past Animosities And Write A New Chapter In Their Inter-State Relations. One Can Call It Track-Iii Diplomacy.Admittedly The South Asian Region Has Been Plagued By Strained Relations During The Last Se- Veral Decades. Both India And Pakistan Have Fought As Many As Four Bloody Wars. During The Last Two Decades ,Several Civil Socities In Both The Countries Have Strongly Initiated The Peace Process And Tried To Minmise The Mutual Differences Between The Two Governments. There Have Been Several Instances Of The Cross Sections Of People From India And Pakistan Meeting At Several Points And Happily Discussing Several Burning Issues Facing Both The Peoples. Infact A Number Of Infra-Structural Linkages Like A Common History, Culture, Religion, And Language Often Unite These People And There Is No Reason Why Some Of The Chronic Differences On Kashmir And Mutual Trade Can Not Be Sorted Out If The People Decide To Go In That Direction. This Will Be The Main Theme Of The Proposed Paper.
