The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a pan-Asia forum to be held annually by the leaders of 16 countries in East Asia and the region, with ASEAN in a leadership position. The first summit was held in Kuala Lumpur on December 14, 2005 and subsequent meetings will be held after the annual ASEAN leaders’ meetings.
Countries involved
The 16 countries involved in the first EAS in December 2005 were:
Russia participated in 2005 as an observer and has expressed desire and even requested to become a member. This is an issue for further discussion in the 2006 summit.
Issues related to the inaugural 2005 EAS
The presence of non-East Asian countries
The final report in 2002 of the East Asian Study Group, established by the ASEAN+3 countries, was based on an EAS involving ASEAN+3, therefore not involving Australia, New Zealand or India. [1] The EAS was to be an ASEAN lead development, with the summit to be linked to ASEAN summit meetings however the issue was to what extent beyond ASEAN was the EAS to extend to.
While India is included in Asia it is normally identified as part of South Asia not East Asia. Australia and New Zealand are usually included in Oceania rather than Asia, although some differ and the distinction can be unclear.
The involvement of countries not seen as traditionally part of East Asia, especially Australia and New Zealand but to a lesser extent India as well, was seen as controversial by some. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, credited with raising the idea of an East Asian caucus, was especially critical of the involvement of Australia and New Zealand. [2]
Australia's presence was only confirmed after Australia reversed its previous policy and agreed to execute ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. [3] [4]
The presence of India was met by "quiet resistance" from China. [5] A stance that may have been reflecting in part the perception that the presence of India would act to lessen Chinese influence in EAS, as discussed further below.
Although not strictly East Asian all three countries did have a notable history with ASEAN. In 1974 Australia became ASEAN's first dialogue partner[6]. New Zealand became a dialgue partner in the following year, 1975 [7]. Sunmmits with ASEAN for both countries were first held in 1977.
Australia and New Zealand as the two Closer Economic Relations (CER) countries have also developed close ties with ASEAN [8] and have been negotiating a CER-ASEAN free trade agreement since 2004 [9].
The linkages between ASEAN and India are more recent [10]. India did not become a full ASEAN dialogue partner until 1995. Nevertheless India's "look East" policy has placed particular emphasis on building relationships in the Asian region [11].
The Koizomi shrine visits
Japan-China and Japan-South Korea ties were strained ahead of the first Summit because of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi controversial visits to the Yasukuni shrine, which includes memorials to Japaneses World War 2 war criminals. These visits are perceived by China and South Korea as symptomatic of a Japan that has not come to terms with its role in World War 2, a conclusion disputed by Japan. [12] [13]
The most recent (at the time) visit by Prime Minister Koizumi was on 17 October 2005, so the issue was still fresh by the EAS in December. As a result the traditional Japan-China-South Korea meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN+3 meeting (which preceded the EAS) was cancelled by China and South Korea. [14]
The rise of China and the need to check Chinese influence
The presence of the non-East Asian India, and to a lesser extent Australia and New Zealand, was seen by some as an attempt by some members of ASEAN (such as Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines) to include countries who by their size or economies may act as a check to the rising influence of China, especially as the weakness in Sino-Japanese relations undermined the ability of Japan to perform that role. [15] [16]
The absence of the United States of America
The absence of the United States of America was seen by some commentators as symptomatic of what was said to be the USA's declining influence in Asia. [17]
Some view this as linked with what is perceived as Chinese influence rising. [18]
The United States has now stated that it hopes to have some role in the future of the EAS. [19]
Outcome of the 2005 EAS
The difficulties in the relationship between the "+3" members (ie Japan, China and South Korea) of ASEAN+3 together with the positioning of parties due to the presence of the non-East Asian countries, India, Australia and New Zealand, resulted in limitations in what could be achieved at the inaugural EAS. The role of the inaugural EAS then became confidence building and familiarisation exercise.
The Kuala Lumpur declaration, the text of the declaration, and the Avian Influenza Prevention, Control and Response declarations were signed by the 16 leaders during the 2005 summit.
It was agreed to hold future EASs in conjunction with the annual ASEAN meetings.
The outcomes that were achieved are summarised in the Chairman’s Statement of the First East Asia Summit.
The 2006 EAS
The next EAS will be held on December 13, 2006 in Cebu City, Philippines. After the confidence building of the inaugural EAS the 2006 EAS will help to define the future role of the EAS, its relationship with ASEAN+3 and the involvement of Russia in EAS.
The relationship with ASEAN +3
The relationship between the EAS on the one hand and ASEAN+3 on the other is still not clear. As discussed above some countries are more supportive of the narrower ASEAN+3 grouping whereas others support the broader more inclusive EAS. ASEAN+3, which has been meeting since December 1997[20] has a history, including the Chiang Mai initiative [21] which appears to have lead to the development of the Asian Currency Unit. This may be significant for those advocating a broader role for EAS in the future.
The 1997 asian financial crisis had demonstrated the need for regional groupings and initiatives. It was during this time ASEAN+3 had commenced and it was also during this time that the East Asian caucus was being discussed.
Prior to the creation of the EAS it appeared that ASEAN+3 would take the role that may now fall to the EAS of community building in East Asia.[22] [23]
The EAS is just one regional grouping and some members down play its significance, the Australian Prime Minister John Howard has stated that the EAS was secondary as as regional summit to Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which has on his view a premier role [24]. Not all members of EAS are members of APEC. However as the EAS meetings are scheduled with the ASEAN+3 meetings (they both follow the annual ASEAN meetings) and all members of ASEAN+3 are members of EAS the relationship between the two is particularly interesting to see if each can create roles to justify their continuing existence.
Future
The EAS is seen as a precursor of a pan-Asia summit and promises to be “open, inclusive, transparent, and forward-looking.” Together, the members represent half of the world’s population and a fifth of global trade in 2005. This is sometimes linked into a European Community-like concept of an East Asian Community. [25] As an inital stage free trade agreements between the non-ASEAN members of the EAS and ASEAN could lead to an EAS FTA or even an asian currency unit. [26]
However some commentators see this an overly optimistic vision. [27]
Neverthless some even link this with a braoder Asian Economic Community. [28]
It seems it is too early to reach any conclusions of where the EAS will lead. [29]
See also
External links
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