Comparing Institution-building In East Asia: Power Politics, Governance, And Critical Junctures (critical Studies Of The Asia-pacific)

Critical Studies of the Asia Pacific showcases new research and scholarship on what is arguably the most important region in the world in the twenty-first century. The rise of China and the continuing strategic importance of this dynamic economic area to the United States mean that the Asia Pacific will remain crucially important to policymakers and scholars alike. The unifying theme of the series is a desire to publish the best theoretically informed, original research on the region. Titles in the series cover the politics, economics and security of the region, as well as focussing on its institutional processes, individual countries, issues and leaders. This book explores the causes and implications of the diverse programme of institution-building in East Asia by highlighting political interactions among China, Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN in pursuit of self-interests, the influence of critical juncture in historical trajectory, the representation of policymakers' preferences for political legitimacy in domestic politics, and the involvement of researchers for regional governance formation. Examining two processes of initiating and developing multilateral institutions in five policy areas: trade, finance, food security, energy security, and the environment, Yoshimatsu argues that while Japan initiated the formation of regional institutions and made efforts to upgrade them, China exerted decisive power in determining the degree and direction of the upgrading of regional institutions. Contingent crises or events had significant influences upon institution-building in most cases, but the influence of researchers was generally limited due to close linkages with governmental actors and the lack of internal cohesion Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction....Pages 1-8 Frameworks for Analysing Institution-Building in East Asia....Pages 9-34 Promoting Trade Liberalisation through Free Trade Agreements....Pages 35-63 Developing Institutions for Regional Financial Stability....Pages 64-91 Food Security Cooperation through Emergency Rice Reserve....Pages 92-115 Energy Security Cooperation under ASEAN+3....Pages 116-143 Environmental Cooperation: The Monitoring of Transboundary Air Pollution....Pages 144-172 Conclusion....Pages 173-196 Back Matter....Pages 197-231 Yoshimatsu explores the causes and implications of the diverse degree of institution-building in East Asia by examining two processes of initiating and developing multilateral institutions in five policy areas: trade, finance, food security, energy security, and the environment.