the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ~ Asean Economy

the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Posted by oun On Saturday, 25 June 2011 0 comments

the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

(ASEAN)

One Vision, One Identity, One Community

· On 8 August 1967, five leaders - the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – signed Bangkok declaration. (Bangsaen)

· The creation of ASEAN was driven by EXTERNAL FACTORS by political and security nature. à Threat of communism. ASEAN was created to reason of political stability.

· 1973 oil shock briefly stimulated some interest of economic cooperation.

· There was not economic content before 1997 summit.

· Unlike the EU, ASEAN political – and economic cooperation have occurred without relying on an institutional framework.

· ASEAN organizational structure is rather administrative body than political entity.

· ASEAN structure is a “pure intergovernmental” organization, without a large bureaucratic decision making body. Asean secretariat staff numbers just over 100, as opposed of European Commission staff members around 24,000.

· Organization is decentralized à not to interference with member states à desire for political independence, hence institutions have been kept diffuse, decentralized and under national control.

· Until 1987 (Third) summit, there was no Secretary General of ASEAN.

· Brunei Darussalam then joined on 8 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN

· Thailand’s diplomatic contribution to the ASEAN way began with one of the founding foreign minister Thanat Khoman.

· ASEAN approach for regionalism refer regionalization, rather than regionalism (EU)

· View of regionalism based in mercantilism rather than liberalism

Politics and economics

Mercantilism Liberalism

Politics provides the framework for economics, states are main actors	There is an independent reality to the market
Political regulation creates a framework for economic activity	The market has an economic dynamic of its own

Development and globalization

Mercantilism Liberalism

Development benefits from a sensible mix of state and market, autonomy and integration	Free market economy promotes growth and development
States adapt to challenges of economic globalization. States remain strong players	Economic globalization has potential to bring increased prosperity to all Economic globalization challenges the state.