I. Introduction:
China is a power while AEC is a regional cooperation group of ten countries to be reckoned with. The two entities combined will constitute a large population. China has a population of 1.35 billion people while ASEAN is more than half of China’s population, 600 million plus. Indeed, given the size, the population and now the economic and political power, China is in fact an empire, a continent or in simple language a huge and gigantic nation-state when compared to other big countries. The only counterpart which might be comparable in the elements, such as size, population etc., mentioned is India. The United States with a large size and technological know-how and power continues to maintain its status as a world power. But China is rising and its power status in economic, military, political and cultural will have to be recognized.
ASEAN which will be formed into ASEAN Economic Community or AEC(1) consists of ten nations with a population of over six hundred million people is an area where many countries cannot and will not overlook nor take for granted. The areas are rich in resources, and potential for economic growth most importantly the chance to be a lucrative business zone attractive to the other nations of the region of Asia and far beyond. The simple fact is China, India, U.S., E.U., Latin America, Australia and Africa, etc., can never gloss over the negative consequences if AEC is shunned. Strenuous efforts will be expected to be made to cultivate a mutually beneficial relationship with the ten countries. Admittedly, the nations that will have relationships and transactions with AEC vary in terms of geographic distance. Some are AEC’s neighbors, such as China and India while some are separated by long distance. But in these days of good communication and transportation, the distance is reduced in significance despite the fact that it still plays a role. Some far-sighted countries such as China and the U.S. are seen as being active in AEC probably out of the belief in the philosophy, Carpe diem.
Relations among nations consist of many aspects including diplomatic, political, trade, investment, aid, cultural and educational exchange, scientific and technological cooperation, natural hazard relief assistance, joint research for dangerous diseases, etc. (2) The list can be extended. China and AEC, like other nations, will cover the above aspects of relationships. Those are the elements which would have to be studied in detail for deep understanding. But the general picture is that there are two aspects of relationship, cooperation and conflict which are normal and to be expected in any relationship even family members. In the case of China and AEC, the picture is more complex. Unilaterally, China and other members of AEC have different relationship as to the intimacy, the level of significance or the political and economic weight given. This is very common. Thailand and China would have differential level and intimacy of relationship when compared to China and Indonesia or the Philippines. At the same time as a regional cooperation group or a community, there is a common ground for relationship with China. But admittedly, the former is now more weighty than the latter although as times progresses, the picture may change.
The other dimension to take into account is the areas of conflict which may flare up into a flash point if they are mishandled. This may be detrimental to the relationship of China and some members of AEC. More importantly, the issue such as the South China Sea conflicts may cause not only a sour relationship among the parties concerned but might cause disunity among the AEC members. Moreover, any violent showdown in the area of South China Sea would be dangerous for seas lines communication and cargo ships with the dire consequences for trade imaginable. The areas of conflicts or potential conflicts lie in the geographic position of AEC which roughly can be divided into the north or the mainland and the south or the oceanic part. This is a part of the paper to be treated subsequently.
The paper will consist of three main parts. Following the Introduction, a discussion of the three significant phenomena will be made. The three phenomena include the era of globalization, the ascendency of Asia and the emergence of AEC. In this part a discussion of the growing of a formidable economic power house known as BRICS will also be made. The next part will cover the relationship between China and AEC, both cooperation and conflicts or potential conflicts. The third part will survey the principles upon which China and AEC are to conduct their foreign policies. The last part will be an attempt to pull the various threads into a coherent piece of fabric so that a certain pattern can be seen.
II. The three significant political phenomena(3)
Three important political phenomena have taken place or have been in the process of taking place in the international arena.
First, globalization is a process of social transformation in the international community with the coming of the information technology. The information technology is the third wave of human civilization as discussed in Alvin Toffler’s book, “The Third Wave.” (4) The information technology gadgets turned the world into what is known as “a global village.” Indeed, while the Earth is round, the world is now flat as dubbed by Thomas L. Friedman, “The World Is Flat.” (5) The significant impact of the globalization era has led to the mushrooming of social media and social network. The new situation has led to the awakening of political consciousness on the part of the people through access to data and information. The first political change was the Jasmine Revolution taken place in Tunisia which spread like wild fire resulting in the Arab Spring and even Occupy Wall Street. This phenomenon has led to two major political changes.
One, in the globalization era, the political culture of the people who have access to more information and data have changed from the parochial-cum-subject political culture to that of a participant political culture or a combination of both with the latter gaining greater momentum. The participant political is a set of political culture in an open political system or a democracy. When people have become more politically conscious and demand for a democratic form of government, would bring pressure on the political system which is antithetical to an open political system where rights and freedom and equality of the citizens are respected. The demand for a democracy will echo loud and clear. Any society that cannot adjust to this new political reality might land in trouble.
Two, with the coming of the globalization era and the change in the political culture as discussed above, there is change in the democratic system as a concomitant result. The three types of democracy include “direct democracy” a la ancient Greeks, “representative democracy” as they are in existent in many countries today and the emergence of “participatory democracy” where the people take a direct part in the political process. A representative democracy is one in which the people cast their vote for Members of the House of Representatives to work on their behalf. But the people also can participate directly in the democratic process including getting involved in public hearing, referendum, initiating the process of recall of corrupt official, initiating the enactment of laws regarding chapter III on Rights and Freedom and chapter V on State Policy Guideline of the 2006 charter which was now scrapped, peaceful and without arms political demonstration against government activities and policies, etc. The list can be extended.
But the distinctive characteristics of the globalization era are the demands for both the concrete demands and the abstract demands to which the political system has to accommodate. The concrete demands consist of the four basic needs, food, shelter, clothes and medical treatment for ailment. These are the fundamental rights which the political system has to be able to accommodate. Indeed, they are the basic requisites of political legitimacy of the government.
The abstract demands consist of five elements, rights and freedom, equality, justice, human rights, human dignity. These rights transcend the concrete ones discussed above. Indeed, the abstract demands are becoming more vocal as time progresses. The saying “men do not live by bread alone,” means that a good system is one which caters to both the concrete and the abstract demands otherwise the system will leave much to be desired and it may be forced to reform itself or undergo a drastic change.
Indeed, one may be reminded of UNDP’s 1994 definition of Human Security which includes Economic security, Food security, Health security, Environmental security. Personal security, Community security, Political community.
(Freedom from Fear vs Freedom from Want and beyond)
Second, another important phenomenon is the ascendency of ASIA. The rise of China as an economic power and to a lesser degree political power is to be registered. The coming of India as a power is something to be reckoned with.(6) China with a population of 1.35 billion people and India, 1.15 billion are two formidable nations which arguably would dominate the world scene in the new century, if not beyond. The two nations are to join Russia, a nation of 130 million people, Brazil, a nation with 190 million people and South Africa, a country with 50 million people to become a new bloc known as BRICS. These five nations, two of which are Asia, China and India, one half Asia, half Europe, Russia while Brazil is representing Latin America and South Africa is representing Africa would form formidable economic power houses. The five represent the rise of Asia and CO--Japan and South Korea, etc. Economic power and other aspects of development have shifte