Taming the Tiger: A Transgovernmental Approach for ASEAN to Engage China Regarding the Spratlys

Abstract

This paper investigates the issue concerning the diversity of the political and economic systems of the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and how such a situation impacts on the decisions they make in the face of China’s hegemonic behavior in enforcing its claim to the whole of the Spratly Islands. To do this, an evaluation of the political, economic and social engagements of the individual ASEAN member states with China is conducted. After evaluating such engagements, this paper proceeds to explain ASEAN’s reactions vis-a-vis China’s claims to about eighty percent of the South China Sea as enclosed by its nine-dash line. As the ASEAN member states are not unified in dealing with China, a need to engage with their powerful neighbor is in order. This paper, therefore, outlines an arrangement that could be workable for all parties, with the end in view of easing tensions in the South China Sea. This is a qualitative study, and it applies the theory of transgovernmentalism in explaining the kind of arrangement between the ASEAN member states and China, taking into account the realization of peaceful co-existence.

Keywords

• asean
• diversity
• international norms
• spratly islands
• hegemony