Abstract
The history of the conflicting maritime claims in the South China Sea, focusing particularly on the recent disputes between China and Vietnam/the Philippines.
The author describes how external actors, principally the US, but also India and Japan, have been drawn in as a counterweight to China. He then goes on to assess the possible impact of this political dispute on the essentially economic relationship between China and ASEAN.
His conclusion is that the economic relationship is likely to prove enduring.
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Country or Region: Vietnam
Hiebert, Murray, Phuong Nguyen, and Gregory B. Poling
Summary
The South China Sea is arguably one of the world’s most dangerous regions, with conflicting diplomatic, legal, and security claims by major and mid-level powers. To assess these disputes, CSIS brought together an international group of experts—from Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam. This volume gathers these experts’ analyses to provide a diverse and wide-ranging set of perspectives on the region and to explore possibilities for future cooperation.
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Hiebert, Murray, Phuong Nguyen, and Gregory B. Poling
Summary
Since the normalization of diplomatic ties in 1995, U.S.-Vietnam relations have taken giant steps forward in nearly every area, from political and economic cooperation to expanding military and cultural ties. As the new era of ties between Hanoi and Washington nears its 20th anniversary, the relationship is increasingly vital to the national interests of both countries. The United States has identified Vietnam as a critical focus of its rebalance to the Asia Pacific. Vietnam increasingly views the United States as a necessary partner in its search for an independent foreign policy amid a rapidly changing Asia.
A New Era of U.S.-Vietnam Relations examines the history of the relationship and offers concrete recommendations for policymakers in both countries to deepen cooperation across each major area of the relationship: political and security ties, trade and economic linkages, and people-to-people connections.
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Glaser, Bonnie S
Abstract
The risk of conflict in the South China Sea is significant. China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines have competing territorial and jurisdictional claims, particularly over rights to exploit the region’s possibly extensive reserves of oil and gas. Freedom of navigation in the region is also a contentious issue, especially between the United States and China over the right of U.S. military vessels to operate in China’s two-hundred-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). These tensions are shaping—and being shaped by—rising apprehensions about the growth of China’s military power and its regional intentions. China has embarked on a substantial modernization of its maritime paramilitary forces as well as naval capabilities to enforce its sovereignty and jurisdiction claims by force if necessary. At the same time, it is developing capabilities that would put U.S. forces in the region at risk in a conflict, thus potentially denying access to the U.S. Navy in the western Pacific.
Given the growing importance of the U.S.-China relationship, and the Asia-Pacific region more generally, to the global economy, the United States has a major interest in preventing any one of the various disputes in the South China Sea from escalating militarily.
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Emmers, Ralf, and Sarah Teo
Abstract
This paper seeks to enrich understandings of middle-power security strategies by examining countries that lack great-power capabilities but still aim to influence the regional security environment. Based on a literature review highlighting the functional and behavioral approaches of middle power diplomacy, we note that these elements could also apply to their regional security strategies. The paper focuses on regional security strategy as a subset of foreign policy and asks why some middle powers appear to go for a regional security strategy that is more functional while others adopt a strategy that is more behavioral. It argues that this divergence derives primarily from differences in resource availability and strategic environment. An analysis of Indonesia, South Korea, Australia and Vietnam highlights how each of these middle powers has adopted a particular regional security strategy, driven by their resource availability and strategic environment.
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Beckman, Robert, Ian Townsend-Gault, Clive Schofield, Tara Davenport, Leonardo Bernard
Summary
This highly informative and up-to-date book brings together expert scholars in law of the sea to explore the legal and geopolitical aspects of the South China Sea disputes and provide an in-depth examination on the prospects of joint development in the South China Sea.
The South China Sea has long been regarded as a source of conflict and tension in Asia. Underlying this conflict is the dispute between China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei over the features in the South China Sea, as well as the resources in the surrounding waters. One viable solution is for the claimants to set aside their claims and jointly develop the hydrocarbon resources in the South China Sea. Unlike previous works, this book takes a unique approach by examining existing joint development arrangements in Asia to see if there are any ‘lessons learnt’ that may be applicable to the South China Sea. This approach has enabled the editors to move beyond a mere theoretical discussion on joint development and focus on the law, policy and practical issues related to joint development.
Beyond Territorial Disputes in the South China Sea will strongly appeal to Government officials, policy-makers from ASEAN Countries, China and the United States, as well as academics, particularly those who are involved in legal scholarship on the South China Sea disputes. Practitioners of oil and gas law will also find much to benefit them in this book.
Amer, Ramses
Abstract
The defining event of 2014 was the crisis between Vietnam and China relating to the activities of a Chinese drilling rig in areas to the west of the Paracel archipelago. The crisis and related tension lasted from early May to mid-July. Although differences relating to disputes in the South China Sea do cause periodic tension between the two countries, a crisis of this scale has not occurred since the 1990s and no previous crisis has such ramifications within Vietnam, both in terms of popular protests against China and through riots targeting foreign companies in May. This overview of Vietnam in 2014 will examine these keys developments in the context of Vietnam’s domestic developments as well as its foreign relations.
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Bisley, Nick
Summary
This book provides a systematic analysis of the current state and future trajectory of security cooperation in the world’s most economically dynamic and strategically uncertain region. It explains the rapid rise of a complex array of security mechanisms in Asia and argues that their limited influence on Asian states’ security policy derives from a combination of institutional and diplomatic shortcomings, as well as the broader mistrust and strategic uncertainty evident in the region. As such, the paper argues that Asia presently has a fractured security architecture and that this likely to remain the case in the short term. Although current security cooperation is not providing substantive reassurance to many regional powers, indeed it is to some degree masking the growing wariness among many regional powers, institutional mechanisms can contribute to the creation of a stable regional order in Asia and the prospects of such efforts are politically plausible, but by no means inevitable. Provided they are well designed and have sufficient political capital invested in them, security institutions can be capable of providing regional security public goods that are not available through other means, and which the region will need if it is to be able to make good on its potential.
De, Prabir
Summary
The Mekong countries comprising Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam grew rapidly during the last decade. With the exception of the years of global financial crisis, magnitude of growth rates and duration are remarkable in Mekong history. Given a long historical and cultural link between India and Mekong countries, there are ample scopes for cooperation and so also potential gains. Regional economic integration has become a powerful tool to foster trade and link markets across borders, and is seen as a complimentary path to strengthen the globalisation process. India has taken steps on its passage towards economic integration, particularly with Southeast and East Asian countries. Ever since the adoption of Look East Policy (LEP) by India, the partnership with ASEAN countries in general and countries in Mekong region in particular has made significant progress. The growing partnership India and ASEAN is also viewed in the context of growing importance of South-South cooperation. The challenge is to translate recent gains into lasting progress through successful regional cooperation.
This book analyses the India-Mekong cooperation in light of growing ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership. It addresses the prospects and challenges concerning the India-Mekong relations and provides a framework for deepening the economic partnership in Mekong region. The book will serve as a knowledge product for policymakers, academics, private sector experts and regional cooperation practitioners; and is a must-read for anyone interested in the regional economic cooperation between India and Mekong region.
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Malhotra, Aditi
Abstract
China’s assertive rise and India’s ambition of transforming into a major player have been instrumental in shaping the dynamism of Southern Asian geopolitics, which has tied the two countries in a competitive grid. The article reviews the security cooperation between China and Pakistan and compares it to the Indo-Vietnam security equation. China’s forays in the Indian Ocean Region, belligerence in the South China Sea, developments in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the “string of pearls” have attracted India’s attention. Besides, experts for a long time have regarded the Sino-Pakistan military partnership as a threat to Indian security. In light of this, India has been strengthening its relations with Southeast Asian countries and Indo-Vietnam relations remain an important area of focus. Dwelling on the nuances of Indo-Vietnam relations, the article examines the security cooperation between India and Vietnam vis-à-vis China–Pakistan relations. Finally, the article deliberates on the possibility of Indo-Vietnam relations acting as a counter to the Sino-Pakistan partnership.
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Goh, Evelyn
Abstract
Why have Southeast Asian states’ threat perceptions regarding China been reduced significantly over the last 15 years? This article argues it is the result of astute Chinese diplomacy, successful Southeast Asian regional security strategy, and the relative restraint exercised by the major regional powers. The paper is divided into three sections that first outline Southeast Asian strategic imperatives and Chinese strategic aims in the region; followed by an analysis of Southeast Asian views of the consequences of China’s rise in the military, political, and economic realms; and an analysis of Southeast Asian responses to the China challenge with regard to their larger regional security strategies. It concludes with outstanding questions about the strategic implications of China’s rise for the region.
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Li, Mingjiang
Abstract
China has a strong interest in pursuing a smart power strategy towards Southeast Asia and has worked laboriously to engage with regional countries economically, socially, and politically. But China has been only partially successful in achieving its goals in the region. This paper argues that China’s security policy towards Southeast Asia significantly contradicts many other objectives that Beijing wishes to accomplish. Given the deep-seated, narrowly-defined national interests of the Chinese military in the South China Sea disputes, it is likely that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will continue to pose the main obstacle to the effective implementation of a Chinese smart strategy in Southeast Asia.
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Chan, Steve
Summary
Debate surrounding “China’s rise,” and the prospects of its possible challenge to America’s preeminence, has focused on two questions: whether the United States should “contain” or “engage” China; and whether the rise of Chinese power has inclined other East Asian states to “balance” against Beijing by alignment with the United States or ramping up their military expenditures.
By drawing on alternative theoretic approaches—most especially “balance-of-threat” theory, political economic theory, and theories of regime survival and economic interdependence, Steve Chan is able to create an explanation of regional developments that differs widely from the traditional “strategic vision” of national interest.
He concludes that China’s primary aim is not to match U.S. military might or the foreign policy influence that flows from that power, and that its neighbors are not balancing against its rising power because, in today’s guns-versus-butter fiscal reality, balancing policies would entail forfeiting possible gains that can accrue from cooperation, economic growth, and the application of GDP to nonmilitary ends. Instead, most East Asian countries have collectively pivoted to a strategy of elite legitimacy and regime survival based on economic performance.
Hoang, Ha Hai
Abstract
This paper analyses the motivation determining the European Union’s (EU) aid allocation to Vietnam. Existing literature and EU official documents are used to build upon four models with respect to new aid allocation: donor interest, recipient interest, recipient capacity and potential donor influence. The paper concludes that the EU’s aid policy in Vietnam has a long-term objective in conformity with Vietnam’s development strategy—poverty alleviation. Moreover, the EU’s political and economic interests, a successful economic reform and development strategy, a high level of ownership (good governance) and potential donor influence are identified as contributions to make Vietnam an ‘aid darling’.
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Dent, Christopher M, and Elspeth Thomson
We bring together a collection of papers that were presented at the inaugural event of the Asia‐Europe Energy Policy Research Network (AEEPRN), held at Singapore in May 2012. The idea for creating AEEPRN was in response to the growing importance of energy in Asia and Europe’s relations and to our shared belief that energy will become a more significant aspect of these relations over the forthcoming years and decades. The papers presented here cover the following themes: wind energy, biofuels, natural gas and gas pipelines, exergy and manufacturing, green energy co‐operation, coal, unconventional gas and solar energy.
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