Lessons and Fairy Tales

ASEAN

ASEAN+3 has held several meetings including energy security cooperation. ASEAN+3 emerged as a result of the increasing energy needs both at the regional and world levels. The first meeting took place on June 9, 2004 in Manila, Philippines and endorsed the Energy Security Forum, Natural Gas Forum, Oil Market Forum, and other activities, Oil Stockpliling Forum and Renewable Energy Forum and many more meetings conducted by ASEAN+3.

There are several factors that are the reason ASEAN cooperates with three partner countries.

Cooperation with Japan

The role of Japan is highly expected in taking a more assertive economic role. On the other hand, Japan itself looks passive in the role of political and military power because there is still a strong rival, namely the PRC. Japan still considers the sovereignty of a country as the most important factor.

Japanese interests in the region as we see it today, namely regional stability in Southeast Asia and maritime security/the sea lines of communication. The Japanese government elite seems to be vigilant and proactive about any developments at the regional level, especially the rise of the PRC as a world economic giant.

Japan feels it should pay greater attention to regional stability. After all, Japan itself psychologically certainly still feels as a great nation in the Asia Pacific. In implementing the political role in the ASEAN region there will be differences of views with the United States. The most effective instrument to deal with the United States is the economy. A more Japanese-friendly attitude is needed to face the United States. Japan itself has planned a significant increase in its military power (directly or indirectly). This will affect ASEAN member states in the form of increasing arms races in the region

Cooperation with PRC

The increasingly complex multipolar dimension contours require each ASEAN member state to be adaptive to the geopolitical and geostrategic dynamics of the region. As in the improvement of the military capabilities of the PRC which by the United States was seen as a threat. The International Role PRC has been wide open with the invitation of capital and technology from the West and Japan.

The PRC appears to be continuing to defend its strategic interests and influence in the ASEAN region, both politically and militarily. There are concerns regarding the PRC's actions a few years ago in the Spratly Islands. The development of stronger security institutions in the region is urgently needed. In economics and industry, the PRC's move to encourage citizens to migrate from rural areas to cities to create 270 million jobs in the next 10 years is commendable.

The PRC's primary interest in Asian countries is focused on rapid economic development, and for the PRC to be recognized as a great Asian power is also very important. In a 1997 novel depicting a global war between the United States and the PRC, it is told that the trigger was the PRC's attack on the South China Sea and the PRC's military invasion of Vietnam. Although the novel is a fiction, but there is still a correlation with the conditions that occur today, and there are similarities to what U. S. political scientist Samuel Huntington has expressed in his book The Clash of Civilization

Cooperation with South Korea

South Korea's President of South Korea, Lee Myung Bak, said in 2009 that ASEAN-South Korea trade had grown eleven-fold in the past two decades to US$ value of 90.2 billion. The figure is even expected to increase to US$ 150 billion in 2015 and plans to improve (co-operation) even better and conduct cultural exchanges and so on.

ASEAN Cooperation with India

India became ASEAN's full speech partner at the 5th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand on 14-15 December 1995 after having been a sectoral speech partner since 1992. At the 1st ASEAN-India Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on November 5, 2002, ASEAN Leaders and India affirmed their commitment to enhance cooperation in the field of trade and investment, human resource development, science and technology, information technology and people to people contacts. The commitment of ASEAN and India was confirmed through the signing of the ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Progress and Shared Prosperity and Plan of Action at the 3rd ASEAN-India Summit in Vientiane, Laos on November 30, 2004.

Indonesia-India cooperation relations in the field of economy and trade began to arise along with efforts towards cooperation between ASEAN and the Association of Regional Cooperation of South Asia (SAARC) to towards work the same is wider in Asia. More concretely, closer relations and cooperation have been realized in the partnership relationship between ASEAN and India through the ASEAN+1 (India) high-level meeting format, the second meeting was held in Bali in October 2003.

The South China Sea Dispute

}Indonesia, PRC, Vietnam and Taiwan over the waters northeast of the Natuna Islands

}Philippines, PRC, and Taiwan over the Malampaya and Camago gas fields in the South China Sea

}Philippines, PRC, and Taiwan over gas fields at Scarborough Shoal.

}Vietnam, PRC, and Taiwan over the waters west of the Spratly Islands. All or some of the islands in the area are also being contested by Vietnam, the PRC, Taiwan, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

}The Paracel Islands are disputed between the PRC and Vietnam.

●Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam over gas and oil fields in Gulf of Thailand.

}Singapore and Malaysia along the Straits of Johor and the Singapore Strait including Batu Puteh Island (Pedra Blanca)

ASEAN has issued a declaration on the issue, calling on all countries to deal with the issue without resorting to violence

Other disputes

□Indonesia and Malaysia over the oil-rich region of Ambalat, East Kalimantan.

□Indonesia and Timor Leste over minor disputes on the island of Timor such as disputes over rice fields in Noelbesi Citrana, Bijaelsunan and Delomil Memo.

□Indonesia and Philippines over Miangas Island

Indonesia and Papua New Guinea over the ulayat land on the border of the two countries

□Cambodia and Thailand top Preah Vihear Temple

ASEAN has issued a declaration on the issue and called on all countries to deal with the issue without resorting to violence.