Engaging China in regional affairs vital<\/p>\n
By Jusuf Wanandi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Questions are again being raised whether
\nSoutheast Asia can have a normal relationship with China, a huge,
\nfast developing neighbor which before colonial times had a
\ntributary relationship with Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
China is indeed fast developing, but its challenges are also
\nenormous. From political succession and the sustained economic
\ndevelopment of 1.2 billion people to a new political, economic
\nand ideological system to replace Marxism-Leninism. In the
\nmeantime, China needs a stable, peaceful and cooperative
\nenvironment to modernize.<\/p>\n
The region and the world are studying how to adjust to this
\nemerging great power peacefully. History has shown that
\ninstability, tension and even war arise when emerging powers are
\nopposed and not given their rightful place in a new regional or
\ninternational structure and process. The crucial problem is
\nwhether the emerging power will play according to regional and
\ninternational rules.<\/p>\n
This is the most important test of China's future role and
\nbehavior. Obviously China is now trying to find its place and
\ndefine its relations in the region, especially after the
\nisolation and upheavals from the end of the Ching dynasty until
\nthe modernization programs of Deng Xiao-ping at the end of the
\n1970s. The Tiananmen affair dented the leaders' self confidence
\nbecause the unfortunate over-reaction and misjudgment of other
\ncountries and their poor rhetoric and capriciousness didn't make
\nit easier for China overcome the massacre.<\/p>\n
China's international relations is still based on the 19th
\ncentury balance of power idea and absolute sovereignty. This is
\ndue to China's experience with colonial powers. Thus, engaging
\nChina in regional cooperation and international relations is
\nvital. Southeast Asia, especially ASEAN, are in a unique position
\nto involve China because of their reserve of goodwill towards
\nChina.<\/p>\n
Questions have been raised whether the incidents in the
\nSpratlys and China's assertiveness have not sapped this reserve
\nof goodwill. Definitely not. China has responded to ASEAN's
\nconcerns in a positive, conciliatory and cooperative spirit:<\/p>\n
(a) China has not responded to the Philippine's actions on the
\nMischief Reef with more assertive actions;<\/p>\n
(b) China is prepared to deal with ASEAN collectively on the
\nissue, which China flatly refused before -- having only bilateral
\ndialogues in mind;<\/p>\n
(c) China also agrees to use international law, including the
\nnew Law of the Sea as a basis for a solution on the
\ncounterclaims. This is a new policy which improves the chance of
\nresolving the different claims based on objective norms and
\nregulations;<\/p>\n
(d) China agrees to more strictly define the boundaries of its
\nclaims. So far, China has claimed the whole of the South China
\nSea based on historical evidence and national law;<\/p>\n
(e) China is willing to continue participating in the series
\nof workshops organized by Indonesia on the South China Sea;<\/p>\n
(f) China is also willing to entertain comments and
\ndiscussions on the Spratlys at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF);<\/p>\n
(g) China has recognized the Natunas as Indonesia's and
\nwhatever overlapping claim might arise after China defines its
\nterritorial claim will be solved according to international law;<\/p>\n
(h) China agrees to make its defense policies and military
\nstrength more transparent to the region in the context of ARF and
\ntogether develop more confidence building measures such as
\nexchanges of officers and military academy students;<\/p>\n
(i) China also agrees to respect the freedom of navigation
\nthrough the South China Sea and the Spratlys.<\/p>\n
The Spratly experience shows that engaging China in regional
\naffairs is vital to educate China in the new thinking of regional
\naffairs. The existing mutual trust between China and Southeast
\nAsia makes this possible. Furthermore, China does respect ASEAN
\nas an entity that can take initiatives in the region and can
\ninfluence stability and peace without creating suspicions from
\nany great power.<\/p>\n
China has agreed to deal with the Spratlys collectively and
\nparticipate in the ARF because it is ASEAN's initiative. China
\nnow understands that ASEAN's main concerns are twofold, namely
\nthe Spratlys and the transparency of China's defense policies and
\ncapabilities. China will respond to both positively to gain the
\ntrust of ASEAN and the region.<\/p>\n
ASEAN has always recognized China as a great power and a
\nleader in the region. It recognizes China's vital interests, such
\nas sovereignty over Taiwan and its own domestic affairs, because
\nno one will be able to solve them for the Chinese.<\/p>\n
What is also important for ASEAN is to get China involved in
\nregional institutions, such as APEC and the ARF.<\/p>\n
The objective is to foster smaller neighbors' confidence of
\nChina and to encourage China to make cooperative policies in the
\nregion. By involving the United States, Russia and Japan in this
\ncooperative regionalism, it is hoped that the region will be able
\nto maintain peace, stability and cooperation. At the same time
\nthis will help prevent or resolve conflicts.<\/p>\n
China is expected to fulfill its promises, because China knows
\nthat the two main concerns of ASEAN -- the Spratlys and military
\ntransparency -- are a litmus test for future positive and
\ncooperative relations with ASEAN. And since ASEAN is a critical
\ninterlocutor for China, especially among other great powers, its
\ntrust and confidence towards China is crucial for their
\nappreciation of China's intentions and policies in the region.<\/p>\n
What if China doesn't want to play a positive rule in the
\nregion, and isn't willing to abide by the rules? This speculation
\nis minute because China needs positive relations in the region to
\nsurvive as much as the region needs a responsible China to help
\nlead the region.<\/p>\n
To make it happen, the region must make the necessary policies
\nto deal with China. ASEAN proved it is able to rally regional and
\ninternational forces when it organized special measures against
\nVietnam's invasion of Cambodia in 1979.<\/p>\n
Fostering regional norms and policies through institutions in
\nwhich China is a member, as well as creating the mechanisms to
\ndeal with violating countries, hopefully will prevent a single
\npower dominating the region.<\/p>\n
The writer is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Centre
\nfor Strategic and International Studies.<\/p>\n
Window: China now understands that ASEAN's main concerns are twofold,
\nnamely the Spratlys and the transparency of China's defense
\npolicies and capabilities.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/engaging-china-in-regional-affairs-vital-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}