Engaging China in regional affairs vital

By Jusuf Wanandi

JAKARTA (JP): Questions are again being raised whether Southeast Asia can have a normal relationship with China, a huge, fast developing neighbor which before colonial times had a tributary relationship with Southeast Asia.

China is indeed fast developing, but its challenges are also enormous. From political succession and the sustained economic development of 1.2 billion people to a new political, economic and ideological system to replace Marxism-Leninism. In the meantime, China needs a stable, peaceful and cooperative environment to modernize.

The region and the world are studying how to adjust to this emerging great power peacefully. History has shown that instability, tension and even war arise when emerging powers are opposed and not given their rightful place in a new regional or international structure and process. The crucial problem is whether the emerging power will play according to regional and international rules.

This is the most important test of China's future role and behavior. Obviously China is now trying to find its place and define its relations in the region, especially after the isolation and upheavals from the end of the Ching dynasty until the modernization programs of Deng Xiao-ping at the end of the 1970s. The Tiananmen affair dented the leaders' self confidence because the unfortunate over-reaction and misjudgment of other countries and their poor rhetoric and capriciousness didn't make it easier for China overcome the massacre.

China's international relations is still based on the 19th century balance of power idea and absolute sovereignty. This is due to China's experience with colonial powers. Thus, engaging China in regional cooperation and international relations is vital. Southeast Asia, especially ASEAN, are in a unique position to involve China because of their reserve of goodwill towards China.

Questions have been raised whether the incidents in the Spratlys and China's assertiveness have not sapped this reserve of goodwill. Definitely not. China has responded to ASEAN's concerns in a positive, conciliatory and cooperative spirit:

(a) China has not responded to the Philippine's actions on the Mischief Reef with more assertive actions;

(b) China is prepared to deal with ASEAN collectively on the issue, which China flatly refused before -- having only bilateral dialogues in mind;

(c) China also agrees to use international law, including the new Law of the Sea as a basis for a solution on the counterclaims. This is a new policy which improves the chance of resolving the different claims based on objective norms and regulations;

(d) China agrees to more strictly define the boundaries of its claims. So far, China has claimed the whole of the South China Sea based on historical evidence and national law;

(e) China is willing to continue participating in the series of workshops organized by Indonesia on the South China Sea;

(f) China is also willing to entertain comments and discussions on the Spratlys at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF);

(g) China has recognized the Natunas as Indonesia's and whatever overlapping claim might arise after China defines its territorial claim will be solved according to international law;

(h) China agrees to make its defense policies and military strength more transparent to the region in the context of ARF and together develop more confidence building measures such as exchanges of officers and military academy students;

(i) China also agrees to respect the freedom of navigation through the South China Sea and the Spratlys.

The Spratly experience shows that engaging China in regional affairs is vital to educate China in the new thinking of regional affairs. The existing mutual trust between China and Southeast Asia makes this possible. Furthermore, China does respect ASEAN as an entity that can take initiatives in the region and can influence stability and peace without creating suspicions from any great power.

China has agreed to deal with the Spratlys collectively and participate in the ARF because it is ASEAN's initiative. China now understands that ASEAN's main concerns are twofold, namely the Spratlys and the transparency of China's defense policies and capabilities. China will respond to both positively to gain the trust of ASEAN and the region.

ASEAN has always recognized China as a great power and a leader in the region. It recognizes China's vital interests, such as sovereignty over Taiwan and its own domestic affairs, because no one will be able to solve them for the Chinese.

What is also important for ASEAN is to get China involved in regional institutions, such as APEC and the ARF.

The objective is to foster smaller neighbors' confidence of China and to encourage China to make cooperative policies in the region. By involving the United States, Russia and Japan in this cooperative regionalism, it is hoped that the region will be able to maintain peace, stability and cooperation. At the same time this will help prevent or resolve conflicts.

China is expected to fulfill its promises, because China knows that the two main concerns of ASEAN -- the Spratlys and military transparency -- are a litmus test for future positive and cooperative relations with ASEAN. And since ASEAN is a critical interlocutor for China, especially among other great powers, its trust and confidence towards China is crucial for their appreciation of China's intentions and policies in the region.

What if China doesn't want to play a positive rule in the region, and isn't willing to abide by the rules? This speculation is minute because China needs positive relations in the region to survive as much as the region needs a responsible China to help lead the region.

To make it happen, the region must make the necessary policies to deal with China. ASEAN proved it is able to rally regional and international forces when it organized special measures against Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia in 1979.

Fostering regional norms and policies through institutions in which China is a member, as well as creating the mechanisms to deal with violating countries, hopefully will prevent a single power dominating the region.

The writer is Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Window: China now understands that ASEAN's main concerns are twofold, namely the Spratlys and the transparency of China's defense policies and capabilities.