[asia-apec 1677] Asean and China
Aaron James
aaronj at interchange.ubc.ca
Tue Nov 28 03:22:20 JST 2000
Asean basks in new relationship with China
By Joe Leahy in Singapore
Published: November 26 2000 20:03GMT | Last Updated: November 27 2000 05:31GMT
In summing up the weekend's summit of regional leaders, Goh Chok Tong,
Singapore's prime minister, described a startling new vision for ties
between south-east Asia and China.
"In future you can perhaps use a Ferrari to speed all the way from
Singapore to Kunming [in south-western China]. That's the kind of
integration we're talking about," he said.
There would also be co-operation in areas ranging from trade to the
internet and initiatives on controlling the spread of Aids.
While clearly many years, if not decades, away, talk of such a future does
reveal one thing; that the once distant relations between China and the 10
members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) are back on
a faster track.
Taking advantage of domestic disarray among Washington's main allies in the
region, along with disillusionment on the part of some Asian leaders with
the pace and tone of world trade talks, Beijing is slowly but skilfully
broadening its influence in the region, analysts say.
The process went a step further at the weekend meeting. Known as
"Asean-plus-three", the summit brought together the members of Asean -
Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia,
Thailand, Laos, and Burma - and their giant northern neighbours, China,
Japan and South Korea.
Aside from the usual array of initiatives, ranging from co-operation on
information technology, education and infrastructure projects, the leaders
agreed to study what Mr Goh called two big ideas - the creation of an east
Asia summit and a regional free trade area. Alongside these moves China
presented its own proposal for a trade zone between itself and Asean.
The ideas are still largely symbolic, analysts say. Asean is preoccupied
with implementing its own trade arrangement while China is preparing for
entry to the World Trade Organisation, expected next year. However, the
initiatives do send a strong political statement to the west.
The proposals reveal a desire among the region's more insular nations to
develop a sphere of influence of their own, free of US influence, says Carl
Thayer of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies, in Honolulu.
Malaysia, in particular, has been critical of US efforts to impose such
issues as the environment and labour on existing trade groupings.
Mr Goh denies this is the case, saying he would not support an attempt to
block out the US.
For Asean, the game is a double-edged sword. Members are well aware they
need to strengthen integration among themselves before entering any larger
organisation. "Asean is not sufficiently a unity to mix it with the big
boys," says Michael Leifer, of the London School of Economics.
If this is true, it may be some time before Singaporean Ferraris reach Kunming
BANGKOK POST SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2000
BEIJING PITCHES MASSIVE MARKED
singaporeu AFP
China yesterday proposed a free trade zone with Asean in a market of 1.7
billion consumers as Southeast Asia ended its annual summit pushing a
message of regional integration. The initiative for integration would be
the backbone of Asean, Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong said, toning
down the near-term prospect of Asean evolving into a powerful East Asian
political and free trade bloc. He also singled out the need forAsean to
develop its plus-three relationship, as dialogue partners China, Japan and
South Korea offered the region nearly US$200 million in grants and loans.
The evolution of Asean "is not going to happen immediately. It's something
which requires further study, but I can sense [it will] evolve into an East
Asian community." Mr Goh defended Singapore's move to forge free trade
agreements outside Asean saying they helped draw attention to the Asean
region. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji raised the likelihood of a China-Asean
free trade zone as a means to strengthen trade and investment links.It
would cover a market area of 1.7 billion people, comprising China's 1.2
billion population and the 500 million inhabitants of Asean's 10 member
countries.
"It might be advisable in the long run for China and Asean countries. to
explore the establishment of a free trade relationship between them," Mr
Zhu said."With China's membership in the WTO [World Trade Organisation] in
sight and the Asean free trade area by and large established in 2002, there
is a good opportunity for us to enhance our co-operation." Japanese Prime
Minister Yoshiro Mori told Asean leaders to firm up existing ties with its
dialogue partners, and said Japan was committed to strengthening the
relationship.
"Japan regards Asean as a partner for the peace and prosperity of East
Asia. I intend to make every effort for our cooperative relations," he said.
Mr Mori announced the so-called "Mori e-action plan," involving $15
billion, would be introduced to enable Asean to meet the challenges of
globalisation and information technology.
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