Explaining the Emergence of New East Asian Regionalism: Beyond Power and Interest-Based Approaches

This article examines recent developments and major changes in Asian regionalism. APEC-centered Asia-Pacific regionalism is in a stalemate while a new kind of Asian regionalism is burgeoning. To understand this development, attention must be paid to conflict between Western liberal ideology and the various forms of Asian resistance. Both realist and liberal theories, which stress the importance of power and interest, do not adequately explain current trends of Asian regionalism. The roles of culture, identity, ideas, and perceptions are crucial. The 1997Asian economic crisis was an important event that led to Asia’s disillusionment with the existing U.S.-dominated regional cooperation scheme. In the wake of the crisis, various initiatives for East Asian regional cooperation emerged, all of which commonly exclude the United States. Thus, the future of new East Asian regionalism will be strongly influenced by APEC’s ability to genuinely represent the interests of Asian countries.