Regionalism

GE TCW
[ The Contemporary World ]
 Introduction
• Regionalism is an interesting development as globalization
is taking place

• Activities expand not just at the global but also regional

level

– Examples: creation of regional organizations and agreements to

achieve economic, political and social goals
 Introduction
• But what drives regionalism and what is its impact?

– Some observers fear that regionalism will erode a

multilateral, global system

– Others argue that regionalism will forge greater cooperation

on a range of global issues and in turn will strengthen
existing multilateral system
 Learning Outcomes
• At the end of this lesson, learners are expected to:

1. Define regionalism;
2. Elaborate different approaches to regionalism;
3. Discuss the driving forces of regionalism; and
4. Explain the emergence and characteristics of Asian regionalism
 Conceptions of Regionalism
• There is growing interest in regionalism and its causes and
consequences

• Yet, there is no consensus on what the concept exactly

means

• Some focus on geographic proximity and contiguity

– Proximity helps states or economies to have shared identity,

norms and aspirations
 Conceptions of Regionalism
• However, proximity is not always an element in regionalism

• Some contemporary regional organizations are made up of

distant states; in some cases, they are spread across
different continents

• One argument against geography-centered definition is

that regional boundaries are often unclear and arbitrary
 Conceptions of Regionalism
• Although geography may be important, a region may
possess non-geographic elements

– Economic interdependence
– Shared political attitudes and institutions
– Sense of community
– Behavioral factors like similar political practice and interaction
 Approaches to Regionalism
• How do states create regional institutions?

1. Intergovernmentalism
2. Supranationalism
3. Federalism
4. Functionalism
 Approaches to Regionalism
1. Intergovernmentalism

– Limited arrangements between states to pursue their goals

without losing their autonomy to decide independently in areas
deemed crucial to sovereignty

– Institutions created may not be independent in making

decisions; state-based approach
 Approaches to Regionalism
2. Supranationalism

– Creation of formal institutions that entails some degree of

“renunciation of autonomous action”

– Institutions created make binding decisions on members;

approach based on an entity created “higher” than the state
 Approaches to Regionalism
3. Federalism

– Relinquishment of national sovereignty in favor of a regional

authority

– Example: After World War II, a federation of European states was

proposed but to no avail. What was created was an organization
to regulate a limited area, coal and steel industry which was
essential to waging a war
 Approaches to Regionalism
4. Functionalism

– Cooperation only in limited areas, such as economy, that would

entail “limited loss of sovereignty” of a state

– After cooperation in an area, it may extend to other areas such

as defense and security

• This spill-over effect is called neo-functionalism

 Historical Background of Regionalism
• Regionalism – first introduced in Europe

– Purpose: to prevent another devastating war

• European Coal and Steel Community was created – to

regulate coal and steel which were used primarily for wars

– Founding members: Germany, France, Italy, and the BeNeLux

states
 Historical Background of Regionalism
• The functional cooperation in regulating coal and steel
was a success

• Cooperation extended to other areas:

– European Economic Community was created – EEC created a
single market among members; governed trade-related
measures

– Other regions followed suit: Latin America and Africa

 Historical Background of Regionalism
• European regionalism further expanded and deepened

– Expanded because membership increased: expansion in Eastern

and Central Europe, former Soviet bloc

– Deepened because cooperation now includes agriculture, police

and judicial cooperation

– Although foreign and security policy remains intergovernmental

 Regionalism in East Asia
• ASEAN serves as the basic framework for both intra-
and inter-regional cooperation in East Asia

• Hence, the “centrality of ASEAN”...

Present Movement of Integration in Asia
APEC(FTAAP)

Canada, Chile, Hong Kong, Mexico,

Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia,
Chinese Taipei, U.S
ASEAN+6
Australia, New Zealand
India
ASEAN+3
China, Japan,
Korea
ASEAN

Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia,

the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia,
Singapore, Thailand Laos, Myanmar
 ASEAN in a Snapshot

• Regional
intergovernmental
organization

- 10 members
- 4.5 million sq kms
- 570 million people
 Philippines and ASEAN
• ASEAN – formed in 1967 “to strengthen further the
existing bonds of regional solidarity and cooperation”

• Philippines is a founding member

• Together with Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and

Thailand
 Philippines and ASEAN
– Formed in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the
ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration)

– Founding Fathers of ASEAN: 5 Foreign Ministers

• Adam Malik (Indonesia)
• Narciso R. Ramos ( Philippines)
• Tun Abdul Razak (Malaysia)
• S. Rajaratnam (Singapore)
• Thanat Khoman (Thailand)
Founding Fathers
ASEAN Founding Fathers
 Regional Context in the 1960s
• Security issue: Spread of communism
– Cold War and arms race, proxy wars
– Indochina War: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
– Threat of external intervention

• Economic challenge: Poverty; disparity in income

 Regional Context in the 1960s
• Regional Conflicts
– Indonesia-Malaysia (1962-66)
– Philippines-Malaysia (over Sabah)
– Singapore secession from Malaysia
– Mindanao,and Southern Thailand
– Thailand was brokering reconciliation among Indonesia,
the Philippines and Malaysia
 Bangkok Declaration
• To promote cooperation in the economic, social,
cultural, technical, educational and other fields,

• To promote regional peace and stability through

abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and
adherence to the principles of the UN Charter
 ASEAN Charter
• Ratified by 10 ASEAN member states
• Came into force: 15 Dec 2008, Jakarta
• Gives legal personality to ASEAN
• Clarifies common objectives and principles
• Defines structure, mechanisms, operations
 Timeline of ASEAN Regionalism
• 1992 – ASEAN Free Trade Agreement
• 1997/98 – economic crisis – acceleration of
economic integration initiatives – ASEAN Vision
2020
• 2003 - Bali Concord II – the launch of ASEAN
Community by 2020
 Timeline of ASEAN Regionalism
• 2005 – the launch of ASEAN Charter process
• 2006/07 – the acceleration of ASEAN Community to
2015
• 2007 – ASEAN Charter drafting and the ASEAN
Economic Community Blueprint
• 2008 – ASEAN Charter ratification
ASEAN Community
Current Membership
Philippines and ASEAN
 ASEAN Philippines Link
• ASEAN – one of the cornerstones of Philippine foreign and
trade policies

• Philippine policy:
– promote a more peaceful, stable, and free South East Asia
– through the pursuit of different initiatives, in the policy making,
economic, trading and functional cooperation activities
 ASEAN Philippines Link
• Sensitive issues:
– Protection and promotion of human rights, democracy,
economic and trading issues, territorial and maritime issues, plus
other complicated relationship problems

• The Philippines recognizes that there exist differences in

the perception and threat analysis that confront the
member states
– 2012 ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting debacle
 ASEAN Philippines Link
• ASEAN Ministers failed to reach an agreement (in Cambodia, 2012)
 ASEAN Philippines Link
• It would appear that trading relations will become the
most important aspect of ASEAN and the Philippines
relationship

• The group has spurred economic integration, signing six

free-trade agreements with other regional economies
ASEAN Philippines Link
 ASEAN Philippines Link
• Another important aspect is the United States still sees
ASEAN as vital to the success of its strategic rebalance and
strategic relationship, both politically and economically
with Asia

• Likewise, other trading groups and nations, the EU, Russia,

Australia, Japan, etc. also regard ASEAN as essential in
maintaining the trading strength of the individual member
states of ASEAN