ASIAN REGIONALISM

The Philippines and the ASEAN Region

The words of Carlos P. Romulo describe the Filipino at the dawn of globalization as a
fruit of the two spheres of the earth. Historically, the Philippines is a “melting pot” of cultures
from the four corners of the world. Its past dates back to centuries of contact with sailors,
traders and preachers from the edges of the globe.
Today, this country of 30 million hectares of land and 200 million hectares of territorial
waters is called home to more than a hundred million people. But as individuals or as a state,
Filipinos can no longer claim independence all throughout as “there is no longer any East and
West”. The Philippines is influenced by economic conditions of countries and institutions and is
open to potentials and pitfalls of market integration. Shared values of neighbors brought by
conventions or necessity shaped local affairs and mold global trends and issues like climate
change, human rights, and diversity. A common regional interest seeps through state
boundaries and contributes to a variety of needs and tastes. Nurturing a budding Asian
regionalism similar to other regions in Europe and the Americas becomes a matter of economic
survival for the country and the region.
Perhaps the above observation could also apply to other Asian countries as less than a
hundred years ago most of these countries have a highly evident Western presence and
influence through centuries of colonization and trade.

Asian Regionalism

The regionalization of the Southeast Asian states and the concentration of a large part
of populace in trading cities and its suburbs both compliment the concept of globalization and
regionalization. The idea of producing, moving and consuming ideas, services, and goods over
limited geographical sphere in the globe appears to be a contradiction of terms in a
phenomenon called globalization. Regionalization deeply impacted on the region’s security
environment. Potential conflicts are put on the common agenda by the neighboring states
while sustaining affirmative economic gains. For example, the South China row is now a major
regional concern for Southeast Asian countries and always factored in the equation of
economic and political power in Asia. Thus, it appears that regionalism in the Asian perspective
proceeds from economic activities triggered by globalization. The range of beliefs, cultures and
types of governance in Asia creates a constant awareness of identity. Asian regionalism is not
created by political or diplomatic design but a commonality of setting. Yet it may be taken
advantage by motivated actions of interested parties. Fortunately, as proven through the
years the vibrant regional economies can overcome the threat.

The region also provides the ground for US-China power dynamics. China’s advent as
new world economic power and growing political is being felt with the launching of the $1
trillion One Belt One Road initiative that is reaching scores of countries around the world.
China has flexed its economic muscles to emerge as a superpower and establish its dominance
in the region. Moreover, Japan, India and South Korea have made its presence felt in vastly
different means.

The election of leaders on a populist platform like Donald Trump and the new prospects
of inter-Korea talks are just some of the recent events that define a new global political and
economic landscape. The race for supremacy in Artificial Intelligence and digital economy
presents the new paradigm among states and individuals impacts prominently on the ASEAN
region.

Regions of the World

The earth is divided into continents of Africa, the North America, South America
Asia, and Europe. North America and South America is found across the Pacific Ocean with
Africa in the west over the Indian Ocean, Europe, and Asia is linked by a mass of land. Some
geographers regard this region between Europe and Asia as a single continent called Eurasia.
Continents are a common way to distinguish regions of the world but it is also plainly used to
refer to a group of countries grouped around large body of land separated by major bodies of
water.
With its sheer size, no wonder Asia has a diverse and rich mix of culture and ethno
linguistic groups. The largest of the continents itself is divided into five regions. These regions
are Southeast Asia where the Philippines belong. East Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, and West
Asia. The vast continent is inhabited by more than half of the world population and covers
about a third of the world’s land surface. Like all regions and continents, Asia maybe be
understood in the context of physical geography culture while other smaller units or smaller
regional groupings maybe comfortably classed for its particular political, cultural or ethnic
groups character.

Asia, General Perspectives

The largest of the earth’s seven continents with outlying islands, the Asian continent
covers an estimated 44,936,000 sq. km. (17, 35,000 sq mi) and occupies about a third of the
world’s total area. Its peoples account for sixty-one per cent of the world’s population. China
has a population of 1.44 billion and India has 1.39 billion. Together they are. The two largest
countries of the world, they have 37 per cent of the world’s population.
https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/population/index.html

For lack of a better way, the Asian continent is divided into Central Asia (from the
former republic of the old USSR, and the Caucasus); East Asia, including China, Mongolia, Korea,
and Japan; Southeast Asia, including Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia,
Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines; South Asia, including India, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan; and Southwest Asia, including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq,
Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the other states of the Arabian
Peninsula. The presence of diverse ethnic and linguistic character divides the continent into two
cultural areas: that which is characteristically Asian in culture (East Asia, Southeast Asia, and
South Asia) and that which is not (former Soviet Asia and Southwest Asia).
The climate in the northern part of Asian landscape is affected by the movement of
polar continental air masses that travel to the northern Pacific from western Siberia. The
climate of the continent is as varied as its surface configuration. Climate in Asia ranges from
extreme climates of the Arctic tundra to the rainforest in equatorial South East Asia.

The presence of diverse ethnic and linguistic character divides the continent into two
cultural areas: that which is characteristically Asian in culture (East Asia, Southeast Asia, and
South Asia) and that which is not (former Soviet Asia and Southwest Asia).

The diversity of Asian landscapes corresponds to the variety of natural resources found
in the continent from marine to mineral resources, from food to hardwood. Its topography is
also as encompassing and extends from both ends of the weather scales. The vegetation in Asia
is surprisingly diverse, owing to the varieties of land and climate. The diversity of natural
features such as weather patterns and topography adds color to the differences in languages,
traditions, religions and cultures. Hence, the variation among states and peoples in this region
is observed. Included in this region are a number of the world’s most economically advanced
states such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. On the other side, it includes as well
the impoverished states like Cambodia, Laos, and Nepal. It includes the biggest and most
populous states in the world such as China and India with billions of population between them.
It also includes the small island-state like of Maldives and city-state of Singapore. India among
largest country in the globe by population and is home to one of the world’s earliest
civilizations. On the other hand, East Timor is among the youngest states in the world. Indeed,
the Asian countries have a wide difference depending on their history, economy, government
and social character.

Southeast Asia and the ASEAN Prospects

This region of Asia covers the Indochinese peninsula and Malay Archipelago and some
neighboring island groups. The region is bordered on the north by china; on the east by the
South Pacific Ocean; on the south by the Indian Ocean; and on the west by the Indian, the Bay
of Bengal, and the Indian sub continental.

The geography of the group of nations in the Malay Archipelago, as well as Indochinese
peninsula is characterized with land masses with low plains and mountainous terrain. Such
physical diversity means that any total agreement on a single concern can be improbable but
not impossible. The region of Southeast Asia includes the countries of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia
(Kampuchea), Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

On August 8, 1967, four countries, the Philippines Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and
Vietnam formed a regional partnership, the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Then, with the successive addition of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Singapore, Laos, Myanmar
membership to the ASEAN reached to 10. South East Asia is a fragile archipelago of island and
landlocked countries of diverse cultures and religions located along the equator. The world’s
major religions and cultures are represented in this region. Its combined area of more than 1.7
million square miles and a population of over 622 million people (See ASEAN 2018 stat) as of
2017. The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is the third largest economy in Asia and the
seventh largest in the world.

The presence of diverse ethnic and linguistic character divides the continent into two
cultural areas: that which is characteristically Asian in culture (East Asia, Southeast Asia, and
South Asia) and that which is not (former Soviet Asia and Southwest Asia).

ASEAN aims to strengthen the existing bonds of regional solidarity and cooperation.
Through the Treaty on Amity and Cooperation, it spells out the main principles of non-
interference and cooperative dispute resolution among its members. The ASEAN Economic
Community formed in 2015 will operate as a single economic community fully integrated to
global economy and contributes to the goal of shared prosperity. This grouping is a
combination of vibrant and emerging economies like Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam
their torrid and constant performance naturally alters the regional and global economic
environment. Other countries in the region are also going to the same direction albeit more
cautiously.

ASEAN, Asia’s earliest and oldest regional grouping emerged from years of dormancy
and conditions set under the auspices of the United Nations. The erstwhile United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Mekong River
Commission, the Cold war-era Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), all foretold the
necessity for the emergence of a regional grouping. In 1967, the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
was established. Lately, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was formed to expand
relations with its neighbors across the ocean. ASEAN+3 (the People’s Republic of China, Japan,
and the Republic of Korea) have convened to explore areas for wider integration.

This is the environment where investment and trade barriers are facilitated and
regulated among member economies. It is in this setting where Asian regionalism creates a
ripple across world economy. Today, Asia is at the center the world economy. It is enjoying a
rapid economic growth in years with every optimistic forecast showing that around a dozen
lower middle income nations have the capacity to catch up with its more affluent Asia-pacific
neighbors.

Factors Contributory to Integration of the Asian Region

The changes that are happening in Asia today is also happening to any other to a
particular country or region. They are the current but not momentary changes that has spanned
year since sailors and traders sailed for good and ideas. The denial or rejection of a state to
adapt to this new order signals the demise of that state. Today the structure of global
governance requires a high degree of trust and collaboration between nations.

Experts have gone beyond economic interdependence, intercontinental labor and

capital movements, dizzying pace of information and communication technology to define and
describe globalization. Some factors contribute to the greater integration of Asia to the new
world order that is Globalization.

Emergence of new global players. Players and stakeholders engage one and all in
constant dialogue for relations to prosper beyond short-term institutional and national
considerations. Non-governmental international and national organizations and civil society
groups, multi-national companies and brands and advocacies comprise these new actors and
stakeholders. They function as pressure groups and lobbyist on various global, regional and
national and issues and concerns like, child labor, climate change, human rights, social welfare
and the like.

Changing Function of the State. Governments, even the authoritarian types who want to
reap the rewards of globalization must conform to the standards of transparency and
accountability, basic liberties and the rule of law as the sine qua non of financial dealings in any
democratic society. State internal sovereignty is challenge on areas of governance and
enforcement of policies to conform to internationally accepted political and cultural norms,
often in collaboration with international NGO’s and lending agencies. The rise of the civil
societies in a state transforms the duties of the state from regulating bureaucracy to a nurturing
partner. Hence, globalization could also function as the great equalizer where before there was
inequality in a regime that condones patronage politics. Globalization more than challenging
state authority could somehow balance its own adverse effects.

Need for Regional Security Arrangements. The profound impact of globalization on

Asia’s security and territorial integrity changes the response to national ethnic struggles and
separatist movements. The regional military and security installation keeps watch over
persistent problem. The precarious balance of power between US and China emphasizes the
prerequisite for more straightforward protocols and policies. The region is an ideal setting for
two superpowers flexing military and diplomatic might. Any untoward security situation will be
as important as any new trade and diplomatic opportunities in the region.

Propagation of Western-based international culture. The disintegration of cultural and

social norms and identities of many Asian is a grave effect of globalization and regionalization.
Many of the young population especially the western-oriented, either through school,
workplace or the media have Euro-centric perspective of things. Suspicions maybe directed at
Western multinational firms who benefit much from these cultural phenomena. This new brand
of imperialism threatens the social fiber of the Asian society and stokes a reaction in the form
of extreme nationalism. ASEAN could establish socio-cultural dialogue through educational,
academic and cultural institutions in other non-Asian countries to balance western virtues of
democracy, liberalism and creativity with Asian virtues discipline, harmony and formality.

Regionalization

In the age of globalization, the concept of regionalization helps to fully understand these
geographical units or areas of interests. How the world is divided into regions by leaders,
decision-makers and policy-makers explain how geography is important beyond the maps and
other tools of the discipline.

The actor-states and institutions organizations mapping out their plans and strategies in
the region must keep an updated arsenal of data and information across the geography of the
ASEAN region. In a world that is at times unstable and fluid, the opportunities and threats from
the complex configuration of the region will entirely spell their success or doom. And before
any discussion on regionalism or regionalization will be complete, a short refresh on Geography
and Regions are in order.

What is Geography?

Geography is a social science field that studies the physical and cultural characteristics
of a place. Places are known by the dominant culture of the people that lives there, their way of
life, livelihood, language food, and other things that set them apart from others. Some places
are also known and named after the resources that abound therein. Casually, the most
common way by which a place is formed is the division by land forms or physical features. A
country is commonly divided into regions, states, cities and provinces and into smaller units.
Geography often combines places to form a particular regions, or areas with similar traits.
These units perform administrative and political functions relevant to the needs, character or
whatever criteria each particular area demands. How these geographical units are formed
depends on their administrative and political set-up. Hence, the geographical features of a
place like land forms and water forms play a role in physical boundaries as well as economic
and cultural borders. More importantly, it defines the inhabitants’ livelihood, customs,
language, and other factors. The market forces of globalization have highlighted the
geographical identities and peculiarities of states and regions.

For snippets

Geography is a social science field that studies the physical and cultural characteristics
of a place. Places are known by the dominant culture of the people that lives there, their way of
life, livelihood, language food, and other things that set them apart from others.

What then, are Regions?

Explorers and traders have long studied maps, and other tools of trade and geography in
their adventures to reach distant lands in search of treasures and profit. The map is a powerful
tool of privileged knowledge since a lot more land and waters are to be named and ruled. It
signifies power to travel and a mandate to rule over the terrain landed on. From the maps
today, we can understand how regions are formed, what distinction is considered to group
them together or keep them apart from another. The most basic unit of geography in earth is
the grouping of countries based on the large chunk of land within each other’s reach. We call
these continents. It is easy to spot them in the world map. Unfortunately, there is more to it
from what we can see with our eyes. The concept of geographical region is no longer confined
to natural environment but it is now combined human, political, cultural, and technological
elements.

Regionalization and Globalization

States move from a greater aggrupation to a smaller group where they find some
common identities expressed in ways that are cultural, racial, and religious and in some other
powerful motivating feature. Belonging to a group of states with common identity empowers
all its members and creates an atmosphere of unity and harmony. As in the case of the ASEAN,
EU, and other regional groupings, the geographical location of member-states are more than
physical spaces but is the locus of the regionalization of familiar interests centered on cultural
geographical concerns. It is an important factor in studying state policy and legislation and
plans of actions of inter-state organization dealing with security and stability of regions.

Regionalization (Kacowicz, 1998) refers to the process taking place over a particular
place that results in social and economic integration. The random processes of interaction
between nations and its subdivisions or aggrupation would be better understood within a
particular issue of set of issues, like trade or maritime security resulting in a unified stance by
the neighboring states.
 Business specially, multi-national companies also use regionalization to better handle
overseas or far-flung interests in a country that will require a specific treatment. Another
concept of regionalization refers to the more spontaneous processes of region formation by
different actors – state or non-state. A common example of regionalization is the division of a
nation into states or provinces, just like the administrative division of the Philippines into
Region 1, 2, 3, and so on.

For snippets

Regionalization (Kacowicz, 1998) refers to the process taking place over a particular
place that results in social and economic integration. The random processes of interaction
between nations and its subdivisions or aggrupation would be better understood within a
particular issue of set of issues, like trade or maritime security resulting in a unified stance by
the neighboring states.

On the other hand, globalization, as defined earlier refers to the high degree of
economic, and social, and cultural transaction through trade and power relations between
countries and regions. It is the process of wider, faster, and inexpensive way of dealing in
commerce, politics, communication, services and entertainment. Globalization also refers to
the process where personal and organizational transactions create a seamless connection over
and across regions and continents.

What differentiates globalization and regionalization then? While both are processes
that result from the intervening environmental and political dynamics, some factors highlight
differences between regionalization and globalization. As differentiated from regionalization,
globalization is the conduct of global affairs, whether in trade or diplomacy in a manner that
extends beyond the borders of nations in an instant. Regionalization, however, focuses on the
attraction towards own geographical unit in regional boundaries. It is the random process of
social and economic activities limited to a particular region.

In brief, regionalization is the combination of nations and states in a common

geographic location revolving on one distinguishing feature in terms of religion, language,
trade, and the likes. This physical unit becomes the base of security arrangements, financial or
trade hub and source of nationalistic pride among member-states of regions. Whether
regionalization and globalization complement or contradict each other, it remains doubtful
depending on a myriad of elements present in a certain region and purpose of the regional
groupings.

The emergence of regional alliances and groupings based on regions emerged as a result
of the end of WWII and the emerging new economic and political order has seen the creation
of such organizations as the European Union, North American Free Trade Alliance, Mercosur,
the Arab League, the Organization of African Unity, and ASEAN itself. Until today, regional
aggrupation continue to evolve and form according to shared interests and needs. Hence, no
long-lasting and accurate definition of region or regionalization will suffice. Security and peace
and order matters, trade rivalries, environmental crisis, and the like will operate to paint a
picture of regions and regional arrangements.

The study of globalization implies a connection of the combined regional character of a

group of countries, in terms of political culture, economy and of course, geographical features
although regionalization could be based on many other factors. An example is the ASEAN
region, an area in which member countries represent the whole range of a country’s
development. The world’s best economic achievers are neighbors to the least performing
states.

Regionalism, on the other hand, is the proneness of the governments and peoples of
two or more states to establish voluntary associations and to pool together resources (material
and non-material) in order to create common functional and institutional arrangements.
Furthermore, regionalism can be best described as a process occurring in a given geographical
region by which different types of actors (states, regional institutions, societal organizations,
and other non-state actors) come to share certain fundamental values and norms. The region
functions in a more efficient ways how countries can function as an autonomous entity
providing the drive for the influencing and transforming factors of globalization.

What are the motivations and forces behind this interest of states towards regional
cooperation? And what is the relationship of the regionalization process with the wider process
of globalization? Are they conflicting process or is regionalization part of or built on
globalization It is important to distinguish regionalization from regionalism which is “the formal
process of intergovernmental collaboration between two or more states”. As Beeson stresses
regionalism is the set of conscious activities carried out by states within a region to cooperate
while regionalization is a less conscious process which is the outcome of these states policies.

For snippets

Regionalism, on the other hand, is the proneness of the governments and peoples of
two or more states to establish voluntary associations and to pool together resources (material
and non-material) in order to create common functional and institutional arrangements.
Furthermore, regionalism can be best described as a process occurring in a given geographical
region by which different types of actors (states, regional institutions, societal organizations,
and other non-state actors) come to share certain fundamental values and norms.
 Globalization and regionalization are not completely new processes. Never before has
mankind experience greater interdependence, crossed physical borders and trade barriers
through rapid and transparent technology and communication and information. Recent events
combine with motivations and factors towards regionalization. There are a multitude of man-
made and natural factors that work that force nations to cooperate at the regional in crafting
and enforcing common agenda. It is not possible to identify a single factor what would
sufficiently explain regionalization.

China, India and the ASEAN

The countries neighboring ASEAN China, India and the Australia are rife with
opportunities and possibilities in different areas of trade, investments and security. Countries
like Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar have launched projects under the Belt and Road Initiative
(BRI) with China while the latter is addressing boundary disputes with countries within the
South China Sea.

Cambodia illustrates the moves China is making makes by increasing economic and
military aid to Cambodia. A long-time trading partners they are venturing into among other
projects, transport and energy/hydropower projects aligned with it China’s BRI. Laos, is
considers China as its second largest trade partner of Laos after Thailand. China is involved in
the massive project on the Mekong River. The river winds through the ASEAN countries of
Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and finally flowing out in the coast of Vietnam, On
Myanmar’s Bay of Bengal, Chinese engineers are building a sea port at and other pioneering
projects that eventually link with the Chinese province of Yunnan. The works once completed
will help lessen the time needed for imported Middle Eastern oil to reach China and the
neighboring countries.

Globalization and regional from the Asian and ASEAN outlook gives us an idea of the
challenges faced by the world in general. The Philippines and other Asian countries which has a
long history of Western colonization and influence will learn from the globalizing effect. The
regionalization of Asia especially of Southeast Asian states in the era of globalization will be at
forefront of policy discussions in the regional fora and conferences. The Asian perspectives on
globalization will be worth examining and re-thinking to reshape the region’s economic,
political, diplomatic environment.

In sum, Asian regionalism must foster a shared responsibility in dealing with a variety of
regional and transnational issues. The growth of the region is evident in spite of its experience
of financial crises and series of political and natural upheavals. It foreshadows more
opportunities for positive economic gains and more stable regional based on a shared agenda
and actions.

Closing paragraph

While globalization introduced people to the wide expanse of human activities this same
environment gave birth to new obstacles. In the meanwhile, Asian regionalization gave a new
perspective to view and feel with a sense of identity and belongingness as Asians. The clash of
the personal and private spheres with the official and public impose upon stakeholders the
basic duties and rights like transparency and the… flexile global culture.