Asia-Pacific Security: Policy Challenges

5 China and Asia-Pacific security building in the new century

5 China and Asia-Pacific security building in the new century Zhu Majie Since the end of the Cold War, great attention has been focused on building up a new Asia-Pacific security mechanism. Many countries in the region have been taking an active part in this process. Security dialogues have been carried on in varied forms at different levels. The main purpose of such kinds of activities is to seek to shape a new multilateral security framework for the Asia-Pacific region, in which all the countries in the region will be equally involved in dealing with issues of common interest. Challenges and opportunities co-exist for the Asia-Pacific security building. So long as the nations concerned continue their constructive efforts, the Asia-Pacific region will become more secure in the new century. Challenges for Asia-Pacific security Ushering in the new century, the Asia-Pacific countries are facing a host of security challenges. Besides transnational crimes, drug trafficking, environmental damage and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, there are some potential disputes and conflicts, such as the confrontation between North Korea and South Korea, tension across the Taiwan Strait, territorial disputes over the islands in the South China Sea, as well as disputes over the northern islands between Japan and Russia. All these potential crises may pose threats to the stability and security of the region. It is also worrisome that some countries have been enhancing their military capabilities, sharply increasing their defence expenditure. Among the potential crises, there are three major issues: the Korean issue, the Taiwan issue, and the Nansha Islands disputes. The Korean issue is closely related to significant security interests of the two Koreas, as well as of the concerned major powers of the Asia-Pacific region. The Taiwan issue is part of China’s internal affairs. But US interference has made it ever more difficult, giving its political support to the separatist forces in the island, constantly supplying arms to 62 Asia-Pacific Security Taiwan, sometimes even flaunting its military forces in the Taiwan Strait. Following the United States, Japan is also involving itself in the Taiwan issue. So any conflict resulting from the issue would greatly impact on the relations among China, the United States and Japan, as well as on the stability and security of the Asia-Pacific region. The Nansha Islands issue involves the territorial sovereignty and marine rights of China, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. This is a historical issue which has significant political, economic and strategic consequences for the countries concerned. At present it is very difficult to find a resolution satisfying the requirements of the concerned parties. Besides, the involvement of some other big powers has made the issue increasingly complicated. Therefore, any improper handling of the issue could cause crises that would have great impact on the stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region. The armaments build-up of some Asia-Pacific countries has caused great concern in the region. In spite of its economic deterioration, Japan’s defence expenditure has been increasing since 1991. Its defence budget in 2000 was several times the total sum of that of all the ASEAN countries. In the fiscal year of 2000, US defence expenditure reached US$288.8 billion, which was about twice the total sum of that of China, Japan, France, Britain and Russia. Moreover, the United States has no intention of reducing its military deployment in the Asia-Pacific region. On the contrary, it has continuously improved the quality of its armaments. People have noted that while the Asia-Pacific region continued to be burdened with the residual manifestations of the Cold War, there were new tensions that had implications for regional security. These included: • the signing of the Visiting Forces Agreement between the United States and the Philippines; • the signing of the New Guidelines for the US-Japan alliance that gives Japan a bigger role in regional security and increases its cooperation with the United States; • the proposed Taiwan Security Enhancement Act and the US administration’s decision to sell a huge amount of advantageous weapons coupled with the United States’ desire to introduce the Theatre Missile Defence (TMD) system to Taiwan; • the new changes of US policy towards North Korea that enmeshes the Korean peninsula in a new plight; • the potential attack of speculative capital which still poses a threat to the economic security of the countries in the region under the mega-trend of economic globalization and free capital flow...