This book examines the evolving multilateral security arrangements in East Asia, with a focus on the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It explores the function and relevance of ASEAN in East Asia's emerging institutional security landscape. These issues have direct implications for the future of the ASEAN Security Community, the relevance of the ASEAN cooperative model to wider regional arrangements, and finally, for the further institutionalization of great power relations within these multilateral structures. The book highlights ASEAN's successes and shortcomings. It also considers ASEAN-led institutions in the wider region and goes on to analyse alternative approaches to regionalism, including the China-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Summit. Overall, it assesses how the various initiatives are likely to develop, concluding that ASEAN, despite its shortcomings, is likely to continue to play a key role.

This book examines the evolving multilateral security arrangements in East Asia, with a focus on the role of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It explores the function and relevance of ASEAN in East Asia's emerging institutional security landscape. These issues have direct implications for the future of the ASEAN Security Community, the relevance of the ASEAN cooperative model to wider regional arrangements, and finally, for the further institutionalization of great power relations within these multilateral structures. The book highlights ASEAN's successes and shortcomings. It also considers ASEAN-led institutions in the wider region and goes on to analyse alternative approaches to regionalism, including the China-Japan-South Korea Trilateral Summit. Overall, it assesses how the various initiatives are likely to develop, concluding that ASEAN, despite its shortcomings, is likely to continue to play a key role.

The security issues confronting Asia are both complex and diverse. Given the increasing trend towards an expanding security agenda beyond the military dimension of inter-state relations, this volume provides an extensive study of emerging non-traditional challenges to this region. New realities and new challenges have come to the fore including environmental degradation, illegal immigration, infectious diseases, transnational crime, poverty and underdevelopment. Drawing upon the concepts of securitization and de-securitization, this book brings together regional perspectives from across Asia to examine how these challenges are perceived and managed. It is a valuable contribution to both security and Asian studies and will be ideally suited to those interested in security studies, international relations and development studies.

The South China Sea has long been regarded as a major source of tension and instability in East Asia. Managing the risk of possible conflict over disputed claims in the South China Sea has been a significant challenge for regional relations. This book explores international politics and security in the South China Sea. It outlines the history of the South China Sea disputes, and the efforts that have been made to resolve these, assessing the broader strategic significance of the region for major geopolitical powers. In addition, new challenges have emerged of resource management, environmental protection, and most recently, of the security and safety of shipping against the threats of piracy and maritime terrorism. The book discusses the convergence of traditional and non-traditional security issues now appearing to provide a basis for co-operation in the South China Sea. It shows how the challenge of establishing co-operative relations is now being met, largely through agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China in 2002 on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and a range of recent measures for functional co-operation.

Geopolitics is a crucial element in understanding international relations in East Asia, with major and medium powers competing for influence. This book examines geopolitics in East Asia, focusing in particular on its major, contentious maritime territorial disputes. It looks in particular detail at the overlapping claims between Japan, China and Taiwan over the Senkaku/Diao yu Islands in the East China Sea as well as the Paracel Islands claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam and the Spratly Islands involving Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam in the South China Sea. The book offers a comparative study of the East and South China Seas by arguing that their respective circumstances are influenced by similar geopolitical considerations; factors such as territory, natural resources and power competition all impact on disputes and broader regional relations. It is precisely the interplay of these geopolitical forces that can lead to the rapid escalation of a maritime territorial dispute or reversely to a diffusion of tensions. The book considers how such disputes might be managed and resolved peacefully, despite the geopolitical conditions that can make co-operation on these issues difficult to achieve. Ralf Emmers examines the prospect for conflict management and resolution by identifying catalysts which may contribute to improving the climate of relations.

Geopolitics is a crucial element in understanding international relations in East Asia, with major and medium powers competing for influence. This book examines geopolitics in East Asia, focusing in particular on its major, contentious maritime territorial disputes. It looks in particular detail at the overlapping claims between Japan, China and Taiwan over the Senkaku/Diao yu Islands in the East China Sea as well as the Paracel Islands claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam and the Spratly Islands involving Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam in the South China Sea. The book offers a comparative study of the East and South China Seas by arguing that their respective circumstances are influenced by similar geopolitical considerations; factors such as territory, natural resources and power competition all impact on disputes and broader regional relations. It is precisely the interplay of these geopolitical forces that can lead to the rapid escalation of a maritime territorial dispute or reversely to a diffusion of tensions. The book considers how such disputes might be managed and resolved peacefully, despite the geopolitical conditions that can make co-operation on these issues difficult to achieve. Ralf Emmers examines the prospect for conflict management and resolution by identifying catalysts which may contribute to improving the climate of relations.

The South China Sea has long been regarded as a major source of tension and instability in East Asia. Managing the risk of possible conflict over disputed claims in the South China Sea has been a significant challenge for regional relations. This book explores international politics and security in the South China Sea. It outlines the history of the South China Sea disputes, and the efforts that have been made to resolve these, assessing the broader strategic significance of the region for major geopolitical powers. In addition, new challenges have emerged of resource management, environmental protection, and most recently, of the security and safety of shipping against the threats of piracy and maritime terrorism. The book discusses the convergence of traditional and non-traditional security issues now appearing to provide a basis for co-operation in the South China Sea. It shows how the challenge of establishing co-operative relations is now being met, largely through agreement between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China in 2002 on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and a range of recent measures for functional co-operation.

Michael Leifer, who died in 2001, was one of the leading scholars of Southeast Asian international relations. He was hugely influential through his extensive writings and his contacts with people in government and business in the region.

In this book, many of Leifer 's students, colleagues and friends come together to explore the key themes of his work on Southeast Asia, including the notion of order, security, maritime law and foreign policy. The book concludes with an overall assessment of Leifer 's background, worldview and impact on his field.

A scholarly and personal volume devoted to Leifer's vast contributions to the discipline of international relations, this text is a must-read for students and scholars specializing in the region.

Michael Leifer, who died in 2001, was one of the leading scholars of Southeast Asian international relations. He was hugely influential through his extensive writings and his contacts with people in government and business in the region. He also inspired many new students of the region, an impressively large number of whom are now leading figures in their own right in the study of Southeast Asian international relations.
In this important book many of Michael Leifer's students, colleagues and friends come together to explore the key themes of Michael's work, and to discuss the contributions he made. The particular themes explored include the notion of 'order' - a key theme in Michael Leifer's work, a concept never fully defined; the institutions concerned with regional order, especially ASEAN and the ASEAN Regional Forum, which Michael viewed as being only limited in their effectiveness; maritime security and its management, a little studied, but highly important, aspect of Southeast Asian Security, where the interests of China potentially conflict with those of Southeast Asian states; and the making of foreign policy within particular states, where Michael Leifer emphasised the important role of the different worldviews of different states. The book concludes with an overall assessment of Michael Leifer's contribution to the study of Southeast Asian international politics.

Emmers questions the dichotomy implicit in this interpretation and investigates what role the balance of power really plays in such cooperative security arrangements and in the calculations of the participants of ASEAN and the ARF. He offers a thorough analysis of the influence the balance of power has had on the formation and evolution of the ASEAN and ARF and reveals the co-existence and inter-relationship between both approaches within the two institutions.
The book contains case studies of Brunei's motives in joining the ASEAN in 1984; ASEAN's response to the Third Indochina Conflict; the workings of the ARF since 1994 and ASEAN's involvement in the South China Sea dispute. It will interest students and researchers of the ASEAN and ARF, the international politics of Southeast Asia, Regionalism and the Balance of Power theory.

In this book, Emmers addresses the key question: to what extent may the balance of power play a part in such cooperative security arrangements and in the calculations of the participants of ASEAN and the ART? He investigates the role of the power balance in detailed examinations of the creation of the forum, ASEAN's response to the Indochina conflict and the South China sea dispute.

The security issues confronting Asia are both complex and diverse. Given the increasing trend towards an expanding security agenda beyond the military dimension of inter-state relations, this volume provides an extensive study of emerging non-traditional challenges to this region. New realities and new challenges have come to the fore including environmental degradation, illegal immigration, infectious diseases, transnational crime, poverty and underdevelopment. Drawing upon the concepts of securitization and de-securitization, this book brings together regional perspectives from across Asia to examine how these challenges are perceived and managed. It is a valuable contribution to both security and Asian studies and will be ideally suited to those interested in security studies, international relations and development studies.

Established in 1971 by Singapore, Malaysia, Britain, Australia and New Zealand, the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) has proved to be one of Asia's most enduring military pacts. Since its foundation, the FPDA has functioned as an important confidence building measure between its two Southeast Asian members, and has facilitated interoperability, professionalization and cooperation among the armed forces of the five countries. Crucially, its inherent flexibility and adaptability has enabled it to respond effectively to changes in the geopolitical environment as well as the emergence of new security threats. Now in its fortieth year, the FPDA remains a valuable component of Asia's security architecture in a time of change and uncertainty.

Security Strategies of Middle Powers in the Asia Pacific examines what drives the different regional security strategies of four middle powers in the Asia Pacific: Australia, Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia. Drawing on the extant middle power literature, the authors argue that the regional security strategies of middle powers could take two forms, namely, functional or normative. A functional strategy means that the middle power targets its resources to address a specific problem that it has a high level of interest in, while a normative strategy refers to a focus on promoting general behavioural standards and confidence building at the multilateral level. This book argues that whether a middle power ultimately employs a more functional or normative regional security strategy depends on its resource availability and strategic environment.