Anthony Milner: History Shows Australia Would Be More Successful Finding Friends in East Asia
[Anthony Milner, Basham professor of Asian history, Australian National University, is a convener of the Asialink National Forum being held today at Parliament House, Canberra.]
SUGGESTIONS in the past week concerning the possible down-grading of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum seem curious. I was as surprised as most. But would it make sense for Australia to put more effort into engaging East Asian or Asian regionalism rather than focusing so strongly on our long-term Asia-Pacific project? There are good reasons to continue to develop regional institutions, but the distinction between these two types of regionalism matters.
In areas such as counter-terrorism, disaster relief, organised crime, climate change, trade facilitation, the management of territorial disputes and other inter-state rivalry (including among the great powers of the region), and the general promotion of trust and transparency, there are increasing numbers of issues that require inter-state co-operation and this may be achieved more easily on a regional rather than a global scale. Bringing together government officials to co-ordinate regional responses has obvious advantages, and regular meetings of heads of government can promote co-operation at the highest level. Discussing the building of regional institutions, some commentators take a purely functionalist view, writing of "interlocking mechanisms", "instruments" and "design faults". But regionalism needs to be considered from other perspectives as well....
In planning strategies for moving on from Asia-Pacific to East Asian regionalism, we need to think through how East Asians think about regionalism and regional community and this brings us back to the sense of community that Australians tend to ignore. It does not mean that we have to Asianise Australia: as a society with a dominant Western, liberal values system we have much to contribute to, and gain from, this highly complex and plural Asia.
What it does mean is that in our artistic and cultural exchanges, our scientific and humanities research partnerships, our sporting competitions and media reporting just as in our many diplomatic, defence, business and education relationships we must increasingly focus on Asia, gradually confirming our place in the give-and-take conversation of the region.
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SUGGESTIONS in the past week concerning the possible down-grading of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum seem curious. I was as surprised as most. But would it make sense for Australia to put more effort into engaging East Asian or Asian regionalism rather than focusing so strongly on our long-term Asia-Pacific project? There are good reasons to continue to develop regional institutions, but the distinction between these two types of regionalism matters.
In areas such as counter-terrorism, disaster relief, organised crime, climate change, trade facilitation, the management of territorial disputes and other inter-state rivalry (including among the great powers of the region), and the general promotion of trust and transparency, there are increasing numbers of issues that require inter-state co-operation and this may be achieved more easily on a regional rather than a global scale. Bringing together government officials to co-ordinate regional responses has obvious advantages, and regular meetings of heads of government can promote co-operation at the highest level. Discussing the building of regional institutions, some commentators take a purely functionalist view, writing of "interlocking mechanisms", "instruments" and "design faults". But regionalism needs to be considered from other perspectives as well....
In planning strategies for moving on from Asia-Pacific to East Asian regionalism, we need to think through how East Asians think about regionalism and regional community and this brings us back to the sense of community that Australians tend to ignore. It does not mean that we have to Asianise Australia: as a society with a dominant Western, liberal values system we have much to contribute to, and gain from, this highly complex and plural Asia.
What it does mean is that in our artistic and cultural exchanges, our scientific and humanities research partnerships, our sporting competitions and media reporting just as in our many diplomatic, defence, business and education relationships we must increasingly focus on Asia, gradually confirming our place in the give-and-take conversation of the region.