SS regional diplomacy

RegionalDiplomacy

Randall HengSeryun Tang

Chew Zhi Yong

1

Regional Relations

• An association of countries in a region

• Will be in better position when dealing with other countries or associations.

• European Union (EU)

• South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)

• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

Textbook Page 181

ASEAN

• Established in 1967 with 5 countries

• Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand

• Currently 10 members

• Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia

Textbook Page 181

Why was ASEAN formed?

• Southeast Asia was going through economic, political and security challenges.

• Southeast Asian political leaders saw the need for a regional organization to maintain stability and build trust.

• Thus, ASEAN was formed.

Textbook Page 182

Three aims of ASEAN

• Promote economic, social and cultural development of the region;

• Protect the peace and stability of the region; and

• Provide opportunities for member countries to discuss and resolve differences peacefully.

Textbook Page 181

Singapore’s Participation in ASEAN

• ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)

• ASEAN Regional Forum ( ARF)

• ASEAN Scholarship

ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)

• The AFTA agreement was signed on 28 January 1992 in Singapore.

• The primary goals of AFTA seek to:

• increase ASEAN's competitive edge as a production base in the world market through the elimination, within ASEAN, of tariffs and non-tariff barriers; and

• Attract more foreign direct investment to ASEAN.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN_Free_Trade_Area

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)

• The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is a formal, official, multilateral dialogue in Asia Pacific region.

• As of July 2007, it is consisted of 27 participants.

• ARF objectives are to foster dialogue and consultation, and promote confidence-building and preventive diplomacy in the region.

• The current participants in the ARF are as follows: all the ASEAN members, Australia,Bangladesh, Canada, the People's Republic of China, the European Union,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asean#Regional_Forum

ASEAN Scholarship

• It is a scholarship program offered by the Government of Singapore to 9 ASEAN Countries.

• Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

• The ASEAN Scholarships aim to provide opportunities to the young people of ASEAN to develop their potential and equip them with skills that will enable them to confidently step into the new millennium.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/scholarships/asean/

Benefits of Singapore’s

0

3.75

7.5

11.25

15

1993 2003

Year

A drop in average taxes after the launch

of AFTA

Why is Regional Relations the most important?

• Strength always come in numbers.

• Therefore the strength of ASEAN is definitely much stronger than that established in Bilateral Relationships.

Why is Regional Relations the most important?

• However, when the association becomes to big, it is very difficult to voice opinions.

• It is very difficult to express opinions since Singapore is a very small country as compared to the rest of the world.

• Therefore International Relationships are not as important as Regional Relationships.