tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083592332331184648.post2802408568093989519..comments2024-03-23T02:47:06.479-07:00Comments on Kerry B. Collison Asia News: It’s Time to Wage Peace in the Asia-PacificKerry B. Collisonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02939821793284561307noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9083592332331184648.post-81947166585246345722013-12-25T12:04:19.328-08:002013-12-25T12:04:19.328-08:00Onus on US, China to resolve Asia’s disputes
With ...Onus on US, China to resolve Asia’s disputes<br />With China’s pronouncement of an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ), and South Korea’s subsequent response with an ADIZ of its own, territorial issues in the East and Southeast Asian region are only growing in complexity.<br />But when we consider how disruptive the spats are toward the region’s economies, it is logical that a path toward resolution is found.<br />Nevertheless, the disputes have often defied logic because of the fervent nationalistic policies of the claimant states, as well as a US pivot that failed to account for Chinese sensitivities. It seems inevitable, then, that the states involved will continue to bump shoulders with increasing frequency and force.<br />As I previously argued on Global Asia, there are several factors contributing to the disputes, all irrational.<br />Given that history is largely subject to interpretation between nations, it forms a weak basis for laying claim to disputed territory particularly in a region divided and re-divided by monarchies, colonialists, and myriad other governments. Nevertheless, history forms a significant component of each of the claimant states’ arguments.<br />History is an especially limiting resource that is not beneficial to resolving disputes in Asia because it can be, and is, interpreted so differently. International law provides guidelines, but the world’s superpowers have been reluctant to fully succumb to its structures. This legacy makes moving forward with binding multilateral processes a challenge. It is therefore incumbent on Asian states to act responsibly while there are still resources in sufficient supply to negotiate a favourable outcome.<br />To that end, Asian governments must control nationalist forces and keep rhetoric grounded in reality. Non-Asian governments, chiefly the United States, need to be clear about the extent of their regional engagement. While America has offered support, it needs to follow-through on its commitments while remaining transparent about how far it is actually willing to go in defending its allies and risking damage to what will eventually be its largest trading partner, China.<br />Andrew Billo is a Singapore-based Associate Fellow with the Asia Society. <br />Kerry B. Collisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02939821793284561307noreply@blogger.com