This is the chapter presentation slides which is my group's assignment in Asia Pacific class at IFL, RUPP, Cambodia. The presentation covers: Introduction Historical legacies in the Asia-Pacific Hubs, Spokes, and cycles Origins of the ARF Implementing the ARF agenda The ARF’s declining relevance? Strategic relations in the Asia-Pacific Conclusion remarks

1. The ASEAN Regional Forum
and Security dynamics in
the Asia-Pacific1. Seang Sreymom,
2. Sak Kimheng
3. Ven Sonita,
4. Nil Vandet
5. Phada Neary,
6. Kim Bot
7. Vong SereyVatanak
8. Hy Nheanny
9. Pao Siken

2. Contents
I. Introduction
II. Historical legacies in the Asia-Pacific
III. Hubs, Spokes, and cycles
IV. Origins of the ARF
V. Implementing the ARF agenda
VI. The ARF’s declining relevance?
VII. Strategic relations in the Asia-Pacific
VIII. Conclusion remarks

3.  What is ARF?
 When ARF was establish ?
 How many members ?
 What is the main purpose or goals for ARF?

4. 1. What is ARF?
ARF is the part of Association of Southeast Asia
Nations (ASEAN) which officially known as ASEAN
Regional Forum, that refer to the key forum for security
dialogue in Asia.
Promoting peace and security through dialogue and cooperation in the
Asia Pacific.

5. 2.When was it established?
-During the 26th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Post
Ministerial Conference, which were in Singapore on 1993,
had agreed to establish the ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF).
- The first meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum was held
in Bangkok on 25 July 1994.

7. 3. Members
- Total members: 27 countries
+ 10 ASEAN members: Brunei Darussalam, Thailand,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore,
Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
+ Dialogue Partners of ASEAN: Australia, Canada, China,
European Union, India, Japan, ROK, New Zealand,
Russia, &U.S.
+Others: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
(DPRK), Pakistan, Sri-Lanka, Timor Leste,
Bangladesh, Mongolia, Papue New Guinea.

8. 4.What is the main purpose or goals for ARF?
+ ARF provide place for members to discuss on the
current regional security issues and development of
cooperation to enhance stability of peace and security
dialogue.
+ Also, ARF make significant contributions to efforts
towards confidence-building and preventing diplomacy
in the Asia-Pacific region.

9. II. HISTORICAL LEGACIES IN THE ASIA-
PACIFIC
 Wars and conflicts have shaped inter-state relations
 1st Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)
◦ Li-Ito Convention 1885
◦ Treaty of Shimonoseki
◦ Russia, France, and Germany forced Japan to return
Liaodong Peninsular to China.
◦ However, China still had to pay indemnity to Japan.

10. Historical Legacies in the Asia-Pacific
(con’t)
 Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
◦ Treaty of Portsmouth
 2nd Sino-Japanese War(1937-1945)
◦ 1931: Japan invaded Manchuria
◦ China had support from Soviet and US
◦ Nanjing Massacre

11. Historical Legacies in the Asia-Pacific
(con’t)
 In East Asia, American policy had actually exacerbated
existing tensions with an additional overlay of ideology and
strategic division.
◦ American hegemony in the post-war period
◦ The multilateral institutional order associated with the Bretton Woods
regime
◦ A series of bilateral, ‘hub and spokes’ relationships in East Asia
constituted an America-centric security architecture

12. Historical Legacies in the Asia-Pacific
(con’t)
 Major conflicts broke out:
◦ Korean War (1950-1953)
 US believed in the domino theory
 UN forces being comprised largely of American troops
 Armistice was signed to re-establish the 38th parallel
◦ Vietnam War (1945-1975)
 Guerrilla tactics were proved against American forces
 the American public turned against its government
 Under the leadership of Richard Nixon, American troops left Vietnam

13. III. HUBS, SPOKES, AND CYCLES
• The Development of security architecture in Asia-
pacific and East Asia by USA strategic policy
• US promoted integration regionally in EU
• US promoted relationship bilaterally in EA
• Japan & China

14. Hubs, Spokes, and Cycles (con’t)
 US hegemony which have Pro & Con
. Pro: East Asia’s development occur due to the
US’s aids & assistance
ex: Japan, Korea, Taiwan….
. Con: Affect to directly & indirectly (war)
ex: Vietnam, Cambodia, Lao.
 San Francisco System

15. IV. ORIGIN OF ARF
 The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is a formal, official,
multilateral dialogue in Asia Pacific region. ARF
objectives are to foster dialogue and consultation, and
promote confidence-building and preventive diplomacy
in the region.

16. ASEAN Regional Forum members

17. Origins of the ARF
Challenges to
• The diversify of its membership
• ASEAN states are attempting to maintain some sort of control
of agreement.
Ex. Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality
ASEAN’s goals neutrality
- However, ASEAN Regional Forum attempt to have a
region widely security which encompass the Asia-
Pacific. Following the APEC, The ARF’s formation
was facilitated by “ track two”

18. Origins of the ARF
 Two developments were especially significant
◦ ASEAN’s relation with Chia were improved.
◦ The decline of American engagement in the region.
 USA’s withdrawal from its base at Subic Bay in Philippine .
In this context, It has proved that the problematic is
about the territory dispute in the south china sea.
- There are a number of conflating territorial claims
centering on the microscopic Parcel and Spratly.
- Those Islands may sit oil and gas

19. - China move to occupy some part of Island and
building its structure.
China’s growing strategic threat and
southeast Asia’s limited ability to counter it is
widely seen a driver behind the establishment
of ARF

20. V. IMPLEMENTATION THE ARF AGENDA
 The key questions confronting the ARF were about membership and
method – who should be in it, and how should it operate?
 The US, China, Russia and Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand,
Canada, India and the EU Union: Support
 And yet, North Korea and Taiwan: conspicuous initial absentees
 There are three reasons to understand how distinctive the ASEAN
approach is:
◦ Asian conceptions of security are generally far more comprehensive
◦ Emphasizing the role of Indonesia in Asian way
◦ Conduction at the foreign minister level

21. Implementation the ARF Agenda (con’t)
 The ARF’s development was seen as having three
distinct phases:
◦ The promotion of confidence building measures (CBMs)
◦ The development of preventative diplomacy instruments
◦ The development of conflict resolution mechanisms
 The other reason for taking the ARF’s claims to
having some normative and socializing impact
seriously is the transformation in the behaviour of
China.

22. VI. ARF’S DECLINING RELEVANCE
 Though ARF could have normative impact on its
member, its admirers are very few
 Japan from: from one the most energetic supporter
to one of the increasing skepticism because
Japanese policymakers have lost confidence on
ARF to develop effective CBMs.

23. ARF’s Declining Relevance (Con’t)
 ARF’s member division: Those who favor greater
transparency vs Those who don’t to avoid extra external
observation => limited scope of CBMs
 ARF’s division is not defined by the different sides of the
Pacific
 On traditional security issue: Japan usually lines up with
the Western (Japan’s uncertainty about its sense of
identity and place in East Asia; Japan and US bilateral
relationship)

24. ARF’s Declining Relevance (Con’t)
 ARF are seen incapable of dealing with two most
important security issues-The war on terror & The
issues of Korean Peninsular)
 North Korean’s admission prevented ARF from
discussing the Korean Peninsular issue because
ASEAN’s principle of not handling security matter
between member to avoid tension

25. ARF’s Declining Relevance (Con’t)
 Putting terrorism on top of its agenda, ARF has
limited itself from dealing with other important
issues.
 On the one hand, this reflects the capacity of the US
to shape strategic priorities of the region’s other
actors.
 On the other, US, and China does not consider ARF
as their go-to forum of choice to discuss the
resolution of regional security problems. For ex:
China in the South China Sea; China, the US,

26. VII. STRATEGIC RELATIONS IN ASIA
PACIFIC
Goals of USA toward East
Asia
US ‘s Economic
Advancement
US & ARF Relation. US
favors Unilateral than
Multilateral Approach.

27. East Asia
#1
• Balance of Power
#2
• Economic Interests
#3
• Influence , Values,
Cultures, HR, Democracy
#1
Goal
s

28. The main presence in the
region is because US
wanted to open up the
World to its Influence
Bretton
Woods
Institutions
World
Bank
IMF
#2
Economic
s
Interests

29. #3 US & ARF relations
(Unilateral Vs Multilateral Approach)
_USA 's foreign policy was not sure about the multilateralism to both East Asia ,
and Asia Pacific. The US was viewed a AWOL in Asia, and Dismissive of ARF.
_Bush refused the participation in may international criminal court, Kyoto Protocol,
as well as a series of agreements to limit the use of small arms, land mine, and the
biological weapons.
The USA didn't see ARF as a worthwhile tool to
achieve its strategic goals. The US 's foreign policy
prefers the unilateralist approach because of it military
power.
Iraq Invasion
_No UN
_In’t Criticisms

30. Multilateral system that APEC embodied has been
undermined by the growth of bilateral trade deals
through out the region.

31. VIII. CONCLUSION
 The ARF has very limited capacities.
 Has less capacity to address flashpoints.
 Support for the participation of the parties in multilateral
mechanisms.
 Engage player in the East Asian region’s evolving institutional
architecture.
 The ARF led to the development of new institutions with a narrower.

32. Game!!! :D

33. #Q1: . There are three evolution approaches to ARF’s development :
1. Confidence Building. 2. Preventive Diplomacy. 3. Conflict
Resolution Capability
1. Right 2. Wrong
3. Wrong 4. Right
Press the space bar to see the correct answer.

34. #Q2: During the 24th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Post Ministerial
Conference, ARF was established
1. Right 2. Wrong
3. Wrong 4. Wrong
Press the space bar to see the correct answer.

35. #Q3: Following the APEC, The ARF’s formation was facilitated by “
track _One”
1. Right 2. Right
3. Wrong 4. Wrong
Press the space bar to see the correct answer.

36. #Q4: the top agenda in 2014-2015 in ARF was counter-terrorism and
Transnational -Crime
1. Wrong 2. Right
3. Right 4. Wrong
Press the space bar to see the correct answer.

37. Thank You
Q&A