The Awkwardness of Australian Engagement with Asia: The Dilemmas of Australian Idea of Regionalism

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
BAOGANG HE
Keyword(s):  
Regional Integration ◽  
Critical Analysis ◽  
Power Relations ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Full Member ◽  
Regional Institutions ◽  
International Power ◽  
Asian Context ◽  
High Level ◽  
Pacific Community

AbstractAustralia has experienced difficulties engaging with Asia-Pacific regional integration. Despite Australian attempts to punch above its weight in regional forums and to be a regional leader, it is still not regarded as a full member or as quite fitting into the region. It is an ‘awkward partner’ in the Asian context, and has experienced the ‘liminality’ of being neither here nor there. The former Rudd government's proposal for an ‘Asia Pacific Community’ (APC) by the year 2020 was a substantive initiative in Australia's ongoing engagement with Asia. It has, however, attracted a high level of criticism both at home and abroad. The main critical analysis of the proposal has focused on institutional building or architecture, or its relationship with existing regional institutions, but overlooks a host of often fraught questions about culture, norms, identities, and international power relations. The APC concept needs to be scrutinized in terms of these questions with a critical eye. This paper examines the cultural, cognitive, and normative dimensions of Rudd's proposal. It analyses four dilemmas or awkward problems that the APC faces.

European ‘models’ and their implications to China: internal and external perspectives

2010 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 755-775 ◽  
Author(s):  
XINNING SONG
Keyword(s):  
Social Development ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Social Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
European Studies ◽  
Peaceful Rise ◽  
External Relations ◽  
Asia Pacific Country ◽  
The Eu

AbstractEuropean Studies in China developed very rapidly in the last twenty years. The reasons for that are not only because of the smooth evolution of EU-China relations and wider and deeper economic interdependence between two economic giants, but also the relevance of the European models to China's domestic political and social development, as well as China's external relations. The article reviews the evolution of the European Studies in China and finds out that more and more research on European affairs relates to China's internal and external development. Two major aspects of the learning process are exploited further. Firstly, European models for China's domestic political and social development, including European party politics and Democratic Socialism, European social policy and social security systems, and European regional policies. Secondly, European models for China's foreign policy and external relations, including European neighbourhood policy, European concept of effective multilateralism, Europe as an example of peaceful rise, and functionalism as the way to East Asian regional integration. The EU or Europe has higher profile in China than any other Asia Pacific country. From the domestic political and social development and China's preference in international affairs we can see the silhouette of the European models. Chinese would like to learn more from Europe than the United States. It also shows clearly that the role of the EU as a social power.

scholarly journals RUSSIA'S PARTICIPATION IN MULTILATERAL MECHANISMS IN EAST ASIA

2014 ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
N. V. Stapran
Keyword(s):  
Cold War ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
Far East ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Pacific Region ◽  
Asia Pacific Region ◽  
Full Member ◽  
Multilateral Cooperation ◽  
The Far East

After the end of the Cold War Russia has significantly increased its participation in multilateral mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific region and is clearly trying to become a significant player in regional institution-building. For two post-Cold War Russia decades was involved in almost all the basic mechanisms of multilateral cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. However, often Russia isn't perceived by Asian partners as an equal participant in the Asia-Pacific region, it is felt particularly in the area of multilateral economic cooperation. Russia's entry into the WTO (2011) and the formation of the Common Economic stimulated Russia's engagement in multilateral economic structures. Russia's inclusion in the negotiating framework of ASEM (2010) and EAS (2011) perceives that Asian countries are willing to see Russia as a full member not only in regional processes, but also globally. The main stimulus for the revision of the Asian direction of foreign policy and the role of Siberia and the Far East appears during APEC summit in Vladivostok in 2012. The APEC summit demonstrated the geostrategic importance of the development of the Russian Far East and Siberia, as a key element of Russia's inclusion in the mechanisms of regional cooperation, on the other hand, it became clear that without the participation of foreign partners effective development of the Far Eastern territories is hardly possible. Large-scale investment and infrastructure projects in the Far East has already significantly revived the situation in the region opening new opportunities for multilateral cooperation.

Regional Organizations

2019 ◽  
pp. 36-67
Author(s):  
Tan Hsien-Li
Keyword(s):  
International Law ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Regional Organizations ◽  
Member States ◽  
Regional Institutions ◽  
History Of ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter examines the relationship that Asia-Pacific regional and sub-regional organizations have with international law, looking at seven international organizations that span the region. It is commonly believed that the member states of Asia-Pacific regional organizations prefer less formalized institutions and fewer binding commitments. Conventional reasons for this include their history of colonialism, less legalistic and formalized cultures, and a preference for stricter conceptions of sovereignty. As such, their organizations are often perceived as less effective. However, the effectiveness of Asia-Pacific regional institutions should not be judged by one uniform standard. Instead they should be judged on their own definition of effectiveness. There should be a broader understanding that Asia-Pacific states consciously use and participate in their regional organizations differently than in other regions, and they may prefer less institutionalized models as these serve their purposes better and can still be successful.

City Profile: Khon Kaen, Thailand

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-289
Author(s):  
Tatchalerm Sudhipongpracha ◽  
Bharat Dahiya
Keyword(s):  
Development Strategy ◽  
Southeast Asian ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Urban Centre ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Khon Kaen ◽  
Asian Context ◽  
The City

This city profile focuses on the patterns of growth, challenges and urban renewal in Khon Kaen Metropolitan Municipality located in Thailand’s north-eastern region. It is presented in the global, Asia-Pacific regional and Southeast Asian context, where the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable urbanization are in a flux. After the Second World War, Khon Kaen emerged as a regional urban centre due to the Thai government’s anticommunist campaign and it being military base to US camps in the US-Vietnam War. As the city rapidly urbanized, it faced diverse challenges, ranging from an influx of rural migrants to environmental degradation. Today, Khon Kaen’s urban challenges are different. As the economy shifts from manufacturing to services, metropolitan government leaders and their constituents seek to transform Khon Kaen into a smart city with a transit-oriented development strategy. Climate change has also affected the city, causing devastating floods and prolonged droughts. Residents in squatter settlements are highly vulnerable to these climate-induced disasters and are under constant threat of eviction. Informed by the development trajectory outlined above, this city profile starts by laying out the global, Asia-Pacific regional and Southeast Asian context, and then discusses Khon Kaen’s rise to prominence as a regional economic and logistic hub in Thailand’s north-eastern region. The city’s current conditions, such as its geographical, historical, economic, social, environmental and administrative and governance contexts, are considered. Then, contemporary challenges of sustainable urban development are explained. This city profile culminates in a discussion of future development strategies for Khon Kaen as a bellwether secondary city in Thailand.

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