Asian
Regionalism
- The center of gravity of the global economy is shifting to
Asia.
- The region’s economy is already similar in size to those of
Europe and North America, and its influence in the world
continues to increase.
- Asia is now so important to the world economy that it must
also play a larger role in global economic leadership.
- Asia’s economies are increasingly connected through trade,
financial transactions, direct investment, technology, labor
and tourist flows, and other economic relationships.
Regionalism
To regionalize - divide into smaller segments
strengthened collective identity in a conglomerate
of nations occupying a particular geographic area
or aiming at shared goals
increase in economic exchanges in particular area
Regionalism vs Globalization
Globalization Regionalism
Nature promotes divides an area into
integration of smaller segments
economies across
state borders
Market allows many monopolies are more
corporations to likely to develop where
trade on an the entry of new
international level producers is prevented or
- allows free highly restricted
market - Less flow of market
- liquidity - Against new
producers
e.g. GRAB CAR, no
uber
NO UBER
No competition
Cultural and acceleration to does not support
Societal multiculturalism multiculturalism
relations through free and - Same area- same
inexpensive goals- same
movement of culture/ancestry
people
Asian culture – family-
different nations – oriented culture
different culture Collectivist vs
Individualist (career-
oriented)
Aid / Help/ globalized a regionalized area does
Assistance international not get involved in the
communities are affairs of other areas
more willing to aid
countries stricken ASEAN
by disasters - Emergency fund for
our member-states
yolanda typhoon - Economic crisis
Technologica globalization has advanced technology is
l Advances driven great rarely available in one
advances in country or region
technology
limited technology
industrial
revolution
Concepts of Regionalism
Hettne (1996) suggested that regionalism as a
concept has varying degrees.
1. Region as geographical unit
A region can be interpreted as a place-- as a
physical environment
E.g. Asia as a region (based on the land and water
boundaries surrounding it)
2. Region as social system
As a conglomerate of people occupying a particular
place space and possessing a unique dynamic of
interaction
E.g. Asia - shared ancestry, language, and culture
3. Region as organized cooperation
As a group of nations who agree to take part and
form a formal organization
(Association of Southeast Asian nations) or
ASEAN (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and
Vietnam.)
Why do countries form regional association ?
a. Military defense
the North Atlantic treaty organization was
formed to protect Europe from the threat of the
Soviet Union and as a response the Soviet Union
created the Warsaw Pact
b. Economic crisis
The ASEAN countries along with China Japan
and South Korea established an emergency fund
that stabilized Asian economies after the rippling
effects of the Thai economies collapse
c. Resources
The organization of the petroleum exporting
countries rose in power when they took over the
domestic production and controlled crude oil
prices across the globe.
d. Protection of Independence
The countries under the non alignment
movement refused to side with the (capitalists)
Western Europe and North America or the
communists (Eastern Europe)
Interstate system – system of allying and
competing states
Asia
The largest and most populated continent in the world
It is comprised of distinct regions such as the Central
Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Middle
East. 1
Religion
Asia is being the home of influential cultural
philosophical and religious movements such as
Hinduism Judaism Christianity Buddhism the
Taoism and other Oriental philosophies and
1
Central Asia is politically divided into five countries: Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
East Asia is politically divided into eight countries and regions:
China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong,
niTaiwan, and Macau.
South Asia is politically divided into nine autonomous countries:
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan,
Nepal, Iran, and the Maldives.
Southeast Asia is politically divided into 11 countries: Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam.
religions generally originated from an Asian
country and have proliferated around the globe.
Economy
In the contemporary world, Asia has become an
economic force characterized by reduced poverty
and fast pace economic developments (e.g. Japan,
China in terms of import of basic raw materials such
as iron)
India and china have also become a major source of
international migrant labor
India China and Philippines are three recipient
states of migrant remittances
Hello Love Goodbye?
Kathryn bernardo + Alden
- Plights (issues) faced by migrant workers
DOLE – POEA – organizations to migrant
workers
Culture
Asia has been the source of wide variety of cultural
phenomena that have spread outward to the Western
countries and the rest of the world
KPOP – Media Culture
Factors leading to a greater Asian
Integration
1. TRADE
- We all want or need something from another part of
the world, including global trade facilities
- WORLD SYSTEMS THEORY – role
- Division of labor (manufacturing – raw materials)
- Reciprocity – I give you this, you give me that
2. SIMILAR CULTURE
- Music – arts more integrated
3. COMMON GOALS
- The Asian region recognizes the mutual benefit of a
slow integration and that is to occur accelerate the
economic growth, social progress, cultural
development and promote peace
4. SIMILAR SECURITY NEEDS
- To contend with foreign supported terrorist groups
Challenges to Regionalism
1. Energy and environmental
concerns
©Challenge - Rapid economic growth for
Asia has led to reliance on economic
imports create environmental concerns
©Solution - Asian states need to empower
science and technology so that its citizens
can eventually discover or create
sustainable energy sources
- Solar energy
Improve your technology find ways
to save the environment
2. Migration
©Challenge: The combination of rapidly
growing populations in much of the
developing world increasingly porous
national borders (free movement) and
disparities and economic growth rates have
sports a dramatic increase in international
migration - population
Illegal migrants
©Solution: like Malaysia, other asian
countries need to deploy troops and naval
vessels to limit the arrival of migrants
3. Organized crime and threats from
non state actors .
©Challenge: Through the increasing ease of
communication and transportation flows
and growing permeability of national
borders, organized crime networks
terrorism, drugs and weapon traffickers
and even human smugglers face fewer
constraints under activity
©Solution: asian states must enable stricter
laws on national security
4. Shifts in balance of power
© Challenge: Depending economic
integration gives rise to regional
economic blocks that competes for
power and influence
- Allies -> competitors
© Solution: Asian countries need to
work together as one region instead of
competing for power, and rise again
against western economic dominance
