The Foreign Service Journal, May 2005

by introducing a concept paper that included a wide-rang- ing set of proposals for increasing regional military exchanges and establishing an annual security policy con- ference. The paper indicated that China was prepared to address a range of issues it had previously been unwilling to discuss in a regional forum (e.g., future challenges to regional security; military strategies and doctrines of member states; the revolution in military affairs and defense modernization in the region; the role of regional militaries in nontraditional security matters such as coun- terterrorism and narcotics interdiction; defense conver- sion; and civil-military relations). Quickly realizing the importance of China’s propos- al, ASEAN acted promptly, formally adopting the ini- tiative at its July 2004 meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. The unprecedented security policy conference, the highest-level meeting of regional military officers ever within the ARF framework, convened on Nov. 4–6, 2004, in Beijing, and was attended by high-ranking offi- cers from 24 ARF member states and dialogue part- ners. Chinese security specialists have also floated the idea of forming an East Asian security community, built upon the ARF, which would better institutionalize security dialogues and cooperation among its mem- bers. Another idea that is gaining some currency in Beijing is to convert the Six-Party Talks on the North Korean nuclear program into a permanent entity for security cooperation in Northeast Asia. Fourth, China has gradually increased its military transparency, as demonstrated by its recent publication of several defense white papers. This action comes in part as a response to the consistent urging of ASEAN, Japan and South Korea (as well as several Western gov- ernments). Although these white papers fall far short of global standards, or even those of other Asian states, each has progressively offered more information about China’s military. The most recent one, published in December 2004, provides much more information than before on PLA doctrine and defense policy, tech- nological innovation and defense industries, domestic defense mobilization, streamlining of military forces, rising concern about Taiwan and the PLA’s internation- al cooperation. On a New Footing In all of these ways, Beijing’s confidence and level of involvement in regional security affairs has grown consid- erably in the last few years. This does not mean that regional concerns about China’s rise have melted away, but they have dissipated considerably. China’s promulga- tion of a new security concept has also enhanced China’s image in the region, particularly insofar as it dovetails with ASEAN’s own normative approaches to cooperative secu- rity and conflict management. The new security concept is premised on the principles of mutual trust, mutual ben- efit, equality, cooperation and the peaceful resolution of differences. In his 2004 Boao Forum speech, President Hu supplemented these guiding principles by asserting that China “hopes to establish a security relationship and cooperation featuring non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting at any third party.” Taken together, these actions are having a transforming effect on Asia’s regional dynamics. For more than a cen- tury, China has been largely outside of the regional order — either by design or by circumstance — but now it has found its footing and has reasserted itself in all realms and on all issues. ■ F O C U S 38 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A Y 2 0 0 5 SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE AMERICA S I NCE 1 9 7 1 2005 represents our 35 th year helping to maintain America’s fleet of vehicles throughout the world. All of us at D & M consider it an honor to have worked with all of you through these years. We are aware of the importance of your official and private vehicles, forklifts, generators, tools and equipment. We look forward to continuing this service in a professional manner. We are here to help, just ask! Gary Vlahov www.dmauto.com (516) 822-6662; FAX: (516) 822-5020; E-mail: info@dmauto.com