East Asia Integration and Regional Security

Abstract

The article presents a brief political review of East Asian integration in the context of regional security. It is noted that the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) for more than fifty years transformed into the regional integration center. The main achievements of ASEAN in the field of economic development and integration policy in the context of contemporary international relations in the sub-region have been considered. The special attention is paid to examining the issues of institutional development of ASEAN and social modernization.

ASEAN is a real embodiment of the “soft power” where the leaders of states are taking the decisions by consensus. Moreover, the ASEAN activity argued that its country-members are not going to sacrifice even a part of state sovereignty. After the long-term fight for independence any idea of its limitation or delegating to the supranational structures is being perceived by public opinion of ASEAN as the restoration of colonialism.

It is noted that the strategy of East Asian regionalism provides institutional resistance to the economic pressure of developed countries. The establishment of ASEAN created favorable conditions for stable economic growth to the East Asian developing countries. An optimal variant for Asian countries is not a universal but limited economic integration under the control of the sovereign national governments.

It is emphasized that economic cooperation in East Asia is continuing to exceed the limits of the economic interests and spreading now on the sphere of regional security. The current arms race in the region is a true obstacle of social and economic development of East Asian countries. Therefore, the issue of enhancing security in Pacific Asia is one of the principal items on the agenda of ASEAN and APEC summits. Meanwhile, military expenditures of the Association are becoming nonequivalent relatively the emerging threats to regional stability.