Professor Bill Tow
Department of International Relations,
College of Asia and Pacific, ANU
College of Asia and Pacific, ANU
- In thinking about regional architecture in Asia, differences with Europe need to be taken into consideration. For instance, the idea of national sovereignty has been established for centuries in Western Europe, while in Asia it is relatively new and in some cases not fully implemented.
- The success of ASEAN is a benchmark for regional architecture, and its success can be attributed to the emergence of this architecture as an emanation from Asia itself.
- In considering regional architecture the question of ownership is always there. China has been a supporter of ASEAN + 3. Whether or not the Asia Pacific community is successful will depend on China’s future intentions.
- Regional architecture matters because it involves establishing specific sets of rules, which help different countries to work together over long periods.