Introduction: Dynamics of the Social Construction of East Asia

Abstract

The multifarious forces of globalization have profoundly changed not only the global economic landscape but also the identities of ethnic groups, nations and regions. As highlighted in the four articles that constitute this special issue, globalization has led to increasing cooperation between East and Southeast Asian countries through the simultaneous processes of regionalization and regionalism. Each country contributes to closer cooperation in Asia, albeit unevenly and in different ways (Frost 2008: 14). Since the 1990s, regionalism has been viewed as a potent force in the globalization process as 'it represents concentrations of political and economic power competing in the global economy, with multiple inter-regional and intra-regional flows' (Mittelman 1996: 190). This powerful force is extended into cross-regional inter-state cooperation in terms of seeking preferential trading relations with countries outside the region through free trade agreements (Solis and Katada 2007). The current trend leans towards establishing more extensive and multifaceted external linkages within a multipolar context. The ASEAN Six (Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei) and CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) countries have very diverse historical, cultural, social, economic and political backgrounds. These 10 ASEAN countries registered relatively high economic growth in 2012 (OECD Development Centre 2013: 2) 1 compared to other parts of the world, such as North America and the Eurozone. The dynamics of region-building are demonstrated in the inclusion of China, South Korea and Japan, countries that are culturally and historically separated from Southeast Asia, to form ASEAN plus Three (APT). Regional integration is a growing concern, and is focused on achieving the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. 2 The AEC is deepening regional economic integration with the adoption of more common policies among member countries (Wesley 2003), which will transform ASEAN into a region with free movement of merchandise, services, investment and skilled labour, as well as a freer flow of capital. In the larger East Asia region, the concept of an East Asian Community (EAC) is developing, and now includes the ASEAN plus Three