Institutional balancing in the Asia-Pacific

Abstract

This study is about how the secondary (smaller) powers of the Asia-Pacific region balance the major powers – the US and China – through multilateral (regional) institutions in the international system. This paper explains the increasing importance of the Asia-Pacific region, where the major powers encounter and challenge each other, and examines the smaller powers of the region, which pursue balancing policies against the major powers through multilateral (regional) institutions. Therefore, this paper sets forth the increasing effectiveness of multilateral institutions for balancing the US and China, and claims that the so-called “institutional balancing” in the Asia-Pacific region has been making a great contribution to restructuring of the international system. Based on a case-study approach, the paper concludes that the efforts of secondary states to include major powers in regional institutions, helps to maintain balance in their powers within the Asia-Pacific and reorder the international system.

Keywords

• Balance of power
• Asia-Pacific
• the United States and China
• smaller/major powers
• international institutions

Asya Pasifik’te Kurumsal Dengeleme

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Asya-Pasifik bölgesindeki küçük devletlerin bölgedeki büyük devletler olan Amerika Birleşik Devletleri ile Çin’i uluslararası sistemde çok taraflı bölgesel kurumlar aracılığıyla nasıl dengelediği üzerinedir. Bu çalışmada, büyük güçlerin karşı karşıya geldiği ve birbirlerine meydan okudukları AsyaPasifik bölgesinin artan önemi açıklanmakta ve çok taraflı bölgesel kurumlar yoluyla büyük güçlere karşı dengeleme politikası izleyen bölgedeki küçük devletler araştırılmaktadır. Buna göre, bu çalışma, ABD ile Çin’in gücünü dengelemekte olan çok taraflı kurumların artan önemini ortaya koymakta ve Asya-Pasifik bölgesindeki “kurumsal dengelemenin” uluslararası sistemin yeniden yapılandırılmasına önemli katkı sağladığını iddia etmektedir. “Örnek olay incelemesi” yaklaşımını temel alan bu çalışmada, bir yandan büyük devletleri bölgesel kurumlara dahil etmeye çalışan küçük devletlerin gayretlerinin Asya-Pasifik bölgesindeki dengenin devam etmesine, diğer yandan da uluslararası sistemin yeniden düzenlenmesine yardımcı olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır.

Keywords

• Güç dengesi
• Asya-Pasifik
• Amerika Birleşik Devletleri ve Çin
• küçük/büyük devletler
• uluslararası kurumlar

References

1. Beeson, M. (2009a), “Hegemonic Transition in East Asia? The Dynamics of Chinese and American Power”, Review of International Studies, 35 (1), 95-112.
2. Beeson, M. (2009b), Institutions of the Asia-Pacific, ASEAN, APEC, and Beyond, (New York: Routledge).
3. Brooks, G. S. and Wohlforth, C. W. (2005), “Hard Times for Soft Balancing”, International Security, 30 (1), 72-108.
4. Ciorciari, D. J. (2009), “The Balance of Great Power Influence in Contemporary Southeast Asia”, International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, 9 (1), 157-196.
5. Dittmer, L. (2002), “East Asia in the New Era in World Politics”, World Politics, 55 (1), 38-65.
6. Eberstadt, N. and R. Cossa (1996), “Multilateralism and National Strategy in Northeast Asia”, NBR Analysis, The National Bureau of Asian Research, 7 (5), 25-38.
7. Feigenbaum, A. E. (2001), “China’s Challenge to Pax Americana”, The Washington Quarterly, 24 (3), 31-43.
8. Goh, E. (2007-2008), “Great Powers and Hierarchical Order in Southeast Asia, Analysing Regional Security Strategies”, International Security, 32 (3), 113-157.

9. Gruber, L. (2000), Ruling the World Power Politics and the Rise of Supranational Institutions, (New Jersey: Princeton University Press).
10. Ikenberry, G. J. and Tsuchiyama, J. (2002), “Between Balance of Power and Community: The Future of Multilateral Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific”, International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, 2 (1), 69-94.
11. Kamennov, P. (2010), “China: Principles of Proactive Defense”, International Affairs, 56 (3), 52-67. Laidi, Z. (1994), Power and Purpose After the Cold War, (ed.), (Oxford: Berg).
12. Lake, A. D. (2010), “Making America Safe for the World: Multilateralism and the Rehabilitation of US Authority”, Global Governance, 16 (4), 471- 484.
13. Mohan, C. R. (2003), “Asian Balance and the Subcontinent”, The Hindu, Dec. 18, 1.
14. Mohan C. R. (2006), “India and the Balance of Power”, Foreign Affairs, 85 (4), 17-32.
15. Pape, A. R. (2005), “Soft Balancing Against the United States”, International Security, 30 (1), 7-45. 16
16. Ross, S. R. (2006), “Balance of Power Politics and the Rise of China: Accommodation and Balancing in East Asia”, Security Studies, 15 (3), 355-395.
17. Scalapino, A. R. (2004), “Asia-Pacific Security – The Current Balance of Power”, Australian Journal of International Affairs, 58 (3), 368-376.
18. Simma, B. and Paulus, L. A. (1998), “The International Community: Facing the Challenge of Globalization”, European Journal of International Law, 9 (2), 266-277.
19. Twining, D. (2007), “America’s Grand Design in Asia”, The Washington Quarterly, 30 (3), 79-94.
20. Wainwright, A. M. (1994), Inheritance of Empire: Britain, India, and the Balance of Power in Asia,1938-1955, Westport, Praeger.
21. Womack, B. (2006), China and Vietnam, the Politics of Asymmetry, (New York: Cambridge University Press).
22. Yiwei, W. (2007), “China’s Rise, an Unlikely Pillar of US Hegemony”, Harvard International Review, 29 (1), 60-63.