1. ASEAN and the Asia Pacific’s Role in Regional Architecture
Ambassador Ong Keng Yong
CONFERENCE ON ASIA PACIFIC REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION AND ARCHITECTURE
25 MARCH 2010
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

2. Key Factors Historical baggage
Individual countries’ experiences during World War II and their colonial encounters
Diverse cultural, economic, political and social systems
Sensitivities of race, religion and language
Entrenched positions of big powers
Especially in the determination of regional affairs

3. Regional Architecture
ASEAN developed regional mechanisms and processes
Manage and balance competing interests
Series of overlapping circles with ASEAN at its core
Peace, prosperity and security

4. ASEAN Regional Forum Established in 1994 Three-stage process
Maintain peace and stability in the region
Promote regional development and prosperity
Three-stage process
Stage 1 on Confidence Building Measures,
Stage 2 on Preventive Diplomacy
Stage 3 on Conflict Management
Gradual evolutionary approach, decision-making by consensus
Movement at a pace comfortable to all members

5. ASEAN Plus Three Started in KL in December 1997
China setting the pace (ASEAN-China FTA)
ASEAN moving strategically
Driving force is economic and strengthening of ASEAN’s centrality

6. East Asia Summit Started in KL in 2005
Addition to ASEAN Plus Three Process
Inculcated bureaucratic cooperation and coherence
Developed mutual confidence and trust
Focused on more strategic issues
Cooperation in energy security, finance, health pandemic, education, environment

7.    ASEAN
   ASEAN Plus Three
   Additional members of the East Asia Summit

8. ADB’s Illustration of Regional and Trans-regional Forums
Source: ADB’s Emerging Asian Regionalism, A Partnership for Shared Prosperity

9. Regional Partnerships
East Asian community building:
ASEAN+3 and EAS as complementary processes
Regional countries engaged
Broad range of regional challenges addressed
Healthy sign
Ongoing discussions – mechanisms can evolve
Keep up with new challenges and changing international circumstances
Important to maintain region’s delicate yet dynamic equilibrium

10. ASEAN’s Partnerships in Regional Contexts
Separately:
ASEAN Plus One mechanisms with individual Dialogue Partners of ASEAN

11. FTA Strategy Concluded FTAs Encouraged more FTAs
China, RoK, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, India
Encouraged more FTAs
Talks with EU
Joint study with Pakistan
GCC in agreement to explore possibilities
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement exists between ASEAN and USA

12. ASEAN External Economics Relations
ASEAN-Russia
ASEAN-Canada
ASEAN-China FTA
ASEAN-EU
CEPEA
ASEAN-US TIFA
ASEAN-Korea FTA
EAFTA
ASEAN-Japan CEP
ASEAN-Pakistan
ASEAN-GCC
AEC
ASEAN-India FTA
ASEAN-Australia- New Zealand FTA

13. Asia Pacific community
Discussions on developing APc relevant
APc is not an independent idea
Must find its place among other elements of regional architecture
ASEAN countries not entirely persuaded by the APc
Lacks clarity
Does not yet seem to fit comfortably among existing building blocks of the regional architecture
APc should not diminish ASEAN’s central role in the regional architecture

14. Asia Pacific community (2)
Concern for ASEAN:
Australia’s seemingly two-tier approach
Create grouping of big regional powers
Sit above existing structures
Two-tier approach unlikely to serve the Asia-Pacific region well
Basic philosophy: remain open and inclusive
Be transparent
Better to rely on ASEAN-centric approach
An ASEAN Plus Eight (ASEAN Ten, China, Japan, RoK, India, Australia, NZ, Russia, USA)?

15. Conclusion ASEAN lies at the heart of many multilateral initiatives
Well placed to play unique role in evolving regional architecture
Rise of big powers and new developments
Challenges
Closer engagement with countries who can contribute to peace and stability in the region

16. Thank You
One Vision, One Identity, One Community