Globalism and Regionalism

PREFACE

This is a collection of selected papers presented at the UNU Global Seminar '96 "Shonan Session" on "Globalism and Regionalism", held 2-6 September 1996 at Shonan International Village, Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan.

We are now in the post-Cold War era. One of the characteristics of international society is the strengthening of the moves to seek regional conflict resolution through global forums such as the United Nations. The UN peacekeeping operations in Cambodia, Rwanda, Haiti, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are examples. Moreover, the United Nations is broadening its roles in economic and social development. The UN Conference on Environment and Development (1992), the International Conference on Population and Development (1994), the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995) are among such activities. In trade, the WTO (World Trade Organization), born out of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) through the Uruguay Round, has been setting worldwide trade rules and attempting to solve trade conflicts.

Another characteristic of current international society is the establishment and strengthening of regional cooperation. From the EC (European Community) to the EU (European Union), from the US-Canada Free Trade Area to NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), the institutionalization of APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) and the establishment of MERCOSUR (Southern Cone Common Market) are some examples. There are also attempts to establish dialogue and cooperation between regions. ASEM's (Asia Europe Meeting) first summit meeting, held 1-2 March 1996 in Bangkok, Thailand, was one such case.

What are the relations between these regional moves and global moves? Does regionalism contradict globalism? What are the meanings of the "open regionalism" advocated by APEC and are they practical? How can regional organizations cooperate with the United Nations to solve security issues?

This selection of papers is divided into two parts. The first part consists of two papers originally presented as keynote speeches at the seminar. The second examines the trends and challenges observable in post-Cold War Asia and the Pacific.

The first paper is "Globalization, the New Regionalism and East Asia". Professor Hettne departs from the hypothesis that the two processes of globalization and regionalization are articulated within the same larger process of global structural change. He sees the current world as a borderless world in which territory has lost all importance and characterized by an ongoing process of globalization with a changing international division of labour, financial transactions and trade in goods. At the same time, however, the new regionalism, different from regional integrations in the 1950s and 1960s, implies a return to the territorial and "the political" and multipolarism. Prof. Hettne then analyses the dynamics of regionalization as processes going on (1) between various dimensions inherent in the process, and (2) between levels of the world-system.

The second paper, "Global or Regional: What Can International Organizations Do?", by Professor Russett, points out that international organizations (IGOs) are created for particular purposes, including peace among members, external security, economic development, securing human rights and democracy, and IGOs can do things individual states cannot do. Global organizations, such as the United Nations and its agencies, have a decent record, though not yet nearly good enough. On the other hand, regional organizations vary. The European model is the most successful because it is most homogeneous, and diversity may make success difficult in other regions. The need for IGOs is evident and strong. Various issues must be addressed at both the regional and global levels and there should be no a priori preference for one over the other.

In "North-East Asia in the Global and Regional Context: Security Options for the Next Century", Prof. Ahn sees the world of today at a turning point. The changes that we are undergoing are global in scope, and in content revolutionary, fundamental and structural, and North-East Asia is also in a period of a great political and economic transformation. He sees two conflicting trends, optimism by the liberal school and uncertainty by the realist school, continuing to coexist in the post-Cold War world. He takes the realist view and advises us to reduce uncertainty and to make every country to act positively for the future of the world and Asia.

In the fourth article, "Peace and Security in the Post-Cold War Asia Pacific Region", Dr. Hernandez observes that a highly fluid and flexible regional strategic environment in the Asia Pacific region was one of the major consequences of the removal of the Cold War, and the region is facing the challenge of moderating the destabilizing impacts. Some aspects of that challenge include: Flexibility and fluidity of regional politics, the rise of China, arms modernization and nuclear proliferation, territorial disputes, rapid economic development and regional peace and security and new challenges to peace and security. She identifies the following responses in the region: Security arrangements, dialogue mechanisms, codes of conduct, confidence building and preventive diplomacy, expanding regional cooperation and track-two diplomacy. Finally she advises a cautious approach to the questions, including the future shape and direction that China will take in its capacity as a regional power of great import and in its relations with its neighbours in the region.

Thus, the post-Cold War world is still unable to find a new stable world order. This collection attempts to present some ideas to solve the problems we face as we approach the twenty-first century. The Global Seminar '96 was attended by more than 90 students from 26 universities and graduate schools. We greatly appreciate their active participation in the discussions.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the other lecturers and members of the Organizing Committee, who also acted as chairpersons and discussion leaders. Special tribute goes to Professors Tatsuro Kunugi (International Christian University), Hisako Shimura (Tsuda College), Kazuo Okuda (International University of Japan), Takeo Uchida (Chuo University), Kenji Takita (Chuo University), Ken'ichiro Hirano (University of Tokyo) and Nobuhiko Suto (Tokai University) for their contributions.

We wish finally to acknowledge the following co-organizers, supporters and cooperating universities: as co-organizer the Kanagawa Foundation for Academic and Cultural Exchange (K-Face); as supporter the Japan Foundation for the United Nations University; and as cooperating universities Aoyama Gakuin University, the International University of Japan, Tsuda College, Chuo University, the International Christian University, Waseda University, Keio University, the University of Tokyo and Tokai University.

Toshiro Tanaka, Keio University

Takashi Inoguchi, The United Nations University

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