13 - APEC's Role in Political and Security Issues

Summary

Introduction

APEC is usually regarded as an exclusively economic and trade organization, with its primary targets focused on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and it appears certain that at least in the near future this agenda will remain as the primary goal. However, at various times in APEC's history, questions have been raised about the potential for the organization to play a constructive role within the region in a range of political and security issues. Generally, these calls have been met with scepticism if not downright hostility. Noordin Sopiee (1997), for example, stated his strong opposition to APEC's entry into any kind of security role:

It would seem that there are few things more likely to damage and even destroy APEC than to put security on its agenda. The poison would run through APEC's entire frame. It would be time to write the epitaph on an endeavor that can be powerfully used to bring all APEC countries closer together, that can forcefully bring prosperity to the entire superregion and that can, with persistence and patience, help build the Asia Pacific community that all APEC countries need.

In an similar vein, Bergsten (1997) has noted a number of arguments against including security issues in APEC's brief, even going so far as to warn the APEC community to be on its guard against those who might seek to encourage such a security role!

At this point, there is no discernible push to include security topics in APEC. The issue could thus be left quiescent. We should be alert, however, to oppose its revival, as it will almost certainly be proposed if APEC continues to prosper and those in charge of security policy look for effective avenues to pursue it in the Asia Pacific context.

However, not all commentators have been so final in their judgements. In a recent book on APEC, John Ravenhill (2001) has speculated on whether the future of APEC might not in fact depend on its willingness to confront the really big issues in the region.