Asian countries are masters of their regional security

Asian countries are masters of their regional security

By Eiichi Furukawa

TOKYO (JP): In 1993, the World Bank published a report called
"The East Asian Miracle", which predicted that East Asian
countries would achieve spectacular economic growth in the next
20 years or so. Economic growth was achieved through a
combination of open economic policies and appropriate public
policies. Personal savings were high, primary education was
promoted, and foreign investment was encouraged.

At the same time, economic growth was made possible due to
another miracle which may be called the ASEAN miracle. ASEAN
played a central role in maintaining peace and stability in
Southeast Asia after the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

This year ASEAN is celebrating its 30th anniversary since its
foundation in 1967. From the beginning, it was determined that
any dispute among its members should be settled through quiet
diplomacy or should be shelved until it could be settled amicably
among the parties concerned.

There have been no military conflicts, nor serious diplomatic
confrontations among member countries. While there have been
several territorial issues among them, none have developed into
confrontations.

The territorial right over Sabah, a northeast region of Borneo
now controlled by Malaysia, has been in dispute between the
Philippines and Malaysia. Philippines President Fidel Ramos
agreed with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad to solve
the question after the two countries achieve economic
development. He did not say when this would be.

ASEAN has also followed the policy of being free from the
interference of outside powers, another reason why peace and
stability has been maintained in the region. In 1972, ASEAN
foreign ministers issued a declaration in Kuala Lumpur to make
Southeast Asia a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality. The
declaration meant that no foreign military bases should have been
maintained in the region.

After the Vietnam War, U.S. forces withdrew from Thailand. At
the time, there was a lot of concern that Thailand and other
Southeast Asian countries might be overtaken by communist
influences strengthened by victorious Vietnam.

But the strength of communist insurgents in Northeast Thailand
and Malaysia declined and disappeared after several years. Rapid
economic growth started in the two countries, which later became
known as the East Asian Miracle. Among the ASEAN countries, only
the Philippines was left behind the impetus of rapid economic
growth of other ASEAN countries.

But when U.S. forces left the country in November 1992, rapid
economic growth also started in the Philippines. While the growth
rate was zero percent in 1992, it grew to 6.4 percent in 1996.

The strength of the communist insurgents of the New People's
Army was reduced from 30,000 members to 5,000. The Islamic rebels
in Mindanao, south Philippines and the Moro National Liberation
Front agreed to peace with President Ramos and they are now being
integrated into the government.

Army dissidents surrendered to the government. The Philippines
gained new confidence, and for the first time since Magellan
landed in the Philippines in 1521, 470 years ago, the country
felt like it could stand on its own two feet again.

The country is now called an Asian tiger instead of an Asian
"sickman", as it was called four years ago. They think that the
withdrawal of U.S. forces brought good to the country and to the
people.

As a result of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Subic, ASEAN
countries are now free from foreign bases in the region and the
promise of the declaration of 1971 neutrality has finally been
fulfilled.

ASEAN countries believe that military cooperation with the
United States is necessary to upgrade the proficiency of their
military forces. Military training, joint exercises with the
United States and other western countries are useful.

They also provide facilities to U.S. forces such as port calls
of U.S warships for supply, repair and maintenance services and
others. They also welcome goodwill visits of U.S. warships.

But ASEAN countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia do not
believe that this military cooperation and exchange means they
support or agree with the maintenance of U.S. military bases or
U.S. presence in the region, including Japan. They believe that
such U.S. bases are counterproductive to the security of the
region.

There is a tendency for westerners to look at Asian countries
as second class citizens or "mischievous boys" in the
international community and consider them unable to govern the
state themselves.

Western countries, therefore, should supervise or control
these countries. On the other hand, ASEAN countries believe that
through ASEAN and economic development, they have now matured and
reached adulthood.

They have learnt how to handle relations themselves
harmoniously through experience. They are no longer "mischievous
boys". They now believe that the responsibility of regional
security lies with them, not with outside powers. The ability of
ASEAN to manage regional security is recognized beyond Southeast
Asia.

The ASEAN Regional Forum believes regional security issues are
not only for Southeast Asia but for Northeast Asia and the Asia
Pacific region at large. At the same time, as the regional forum
indicates, ASEAN occupies a special position in the management of
the ARF which is free from the domination of non-ASEAN powers.

It shows that dialog between small countries is more effective
than military powers of outside countries in maintaining regional
security.

Some western observers argue that unless there is a superpower
with teeth or an effective military power, the security of Asia
will not be maintained.

Since a collective security system like NATO in Europe does
not exist in Asia, the American military presence is
indispensable.

The question is who will decide the use of such military
forces? In the past three decades, U.S. forces have been used
wrongly in many parts of the world, including Vietnam and the
Philippines under Marcos.

U.S. intervention in the Middle East and Africa not only
failed but had adverse effects. There is no collective security
system like NATO in Asia. It is not because of their inability to
set up one because it is not necessary, but rather because it is
counterproductive in Asia.

Many western observers believe ASEAN is merely a place for
dialog. But this has proven extremely successful in preventing
military conflict and diplomatic confrontation among ASEAN
countries. It may be difficult for westerners to understand, but
it has been true among ASEAN countries in the past 30 years.

ASEAN's success indicates that dialog among neighbors and
regional partners is a better way to maintain regional peace and
security than bringing distant outside powers into regional
affairs. The day of power balance and the zero-sum game has gone.

Relations among the East Asian countries have become mutually
beneficial. The experiences of ASEAN are now extending to
Northeast Asia, including China, Japan and Korea.

The East Asian countries are now about to launch an East Asia
club following the concept of an East Asia Economic Caucus
originally proposed by Mahathir six and half years ago. Sharing
the experiences of the East Asian Miracle will support this
direction.

The writer is director of the Japan Center for International
Strategies.