A Study On The Leadership Issue In East Asian Economic Integration

This dissertation discusses East Asian economic integration by focusing on leadership issue in an IPE perspective.As foreshadows, the Introduction gives a brief narration on the selection of the subject, key definitions, relevant theories, and analytical framework. The theory of IPE makes it clear, through mutually beneficial cooperation among members, the international regional integration will contribute to each nation's seeking after their economic interests respectively, and will further the achievement of relevant political security end. However, why hasn't East Asia realistically achieved such end so far? Is the rivalry of leadership the main cause of the lag in East Asian integration?Leadership issue is one of the key elements of realizing the integration among East Asia economies. But, how can we put the two study variables which seem to collide with each other into the same theoretical framework since international leadership issue and economic integration are departed in different domain, one in rivalry, the other in cooperation, not to fall into a theoretical paradox? What kind of leadership model does not deviate from the logic of cooperation in international integration? This dissertation advances an idea of "Power Peaceful Leadership" in international integration, and intends to adopt this theory to discuss relevant issues.In Chapter Two, the author mainly discusses the influences and effects of powers and institution on leadership issue in East Asian economic integration. The study on international relation has two main trends: one is centered on market dysfunction, the other focuses on power relations. The former suggests that systems supply with information and guarantee cooperation. This is a trend of Neo-Constitutionalism in the international relation. The latter thinks that power is the base in formulating rules and determining the results. This is a trend of Realism in the international relation. This dissertation first looks power and institution as the core variables. Then it brings leadership issue in East Asian economic integration into the theoretical coordinate of power and institution. The author strives to clarify its influences and restrictions on leadership issue in East Asian economic integration. After a briefly analysis of power, institution and leadership in international integration, the author expounded not only the leadership rivalry in East Asian economic integration by the function of the power relations, but also the influences of the institution and mechanism on leadership issue in East Asian economic integration. The author concluded that the lack of institution in East Asia is the key factor which restricts the leadership issue in the regional economic integration. East Asian economic integration needs big power to promote the creation of institution. Thus there exists not only serious leadership issue, but also the creation of institution as well, both construct interdependent relation.Chapter Three discusses several prominent elements referring to the leadership issue in East Asian economic integration. East Asian region possesses economic and political diversity, and the regional political relations appear to be complicated. It has the symptom of "Political Scattering". This causes the international relation in East Asia characteristics of "Outward Interruption". Therefore, the leadership issue of East Asian economic integration has a certain sensitive relation with some external elements such as the USA. Accordingly, only handle these external elements appropriately, especially that of the USA, can the leadership problem be solved. Because the regional powers such as China and Japan possess special status and vital influence in the setup of East Asian economies, the Sino-Japanese relation thus becomes the important variable in East Asian economic integration. However, the phenomenon of "Bickering Giants" in Sino-Japanese relation recently protrudes certain "Leadership Complex". The competition between China and Japan, the restriction of each other caused by the "non-cooperation" come to the lack of core nations' leadership, which causes the "paradox" of the leadership of ASEAN. As an international organization formed by medium-size and small-size nations, ASEAN is in a dilemma: to take the leading role of East Asian economic integration is beyond its capability, and it can't become the engine in the integration. In East Asia, the elements such as "Dilemma Security" and nationalism and so on also restrict the leadership issue of East Asian economic integration.Chapter Four and Five mainly analyze the "Power Peaceful Leadership" in East Asian economic integration in theoretical dimension. The capability of one nation is the chief element that determines whether one nation can win in international competition. International integration deduces certain logic of "Power Dominance". However, the capability of "Powers Dominance" does not mean its compulsion, but the capability of persuasion and offering benefits, which is accompanied by some international prestige, recognized and accepted by its followers. Chiefly based on cooperative leadership model, international integration attaches importance to the moral of leadership and the function of institution norms. It will restrict the preference of compulsion. Powers will depend on the means of consulting or offering benefits to gain the leadership status. The "Power Peaceful Leadership" in the International integration is not "Hegemony Dominance", but "Direct Leadership", which needs corresponding with international regime. Because international institution and regime are important variables in the international integration, the "Power Peaceful Leadership" has a deep "Institution Brand". Besides, in order to win small-size nations' political support, it is necessary for powers to make promises of peace and security to them, to offer international "Public Goods" such as security, market and so on, through its own predominant economic and political resources, to compensate for the cost which the small-size nations has paid for the economic integration. From this dimension, a successful leadership model of international integration should be a "Power Peaceful Leadership" model, as "France-Germany Core" in European economic integration, which is a typical case of the "Power Peaceful Leadership". In a Word, international integration not only deduces the logic of the "Power Peaceful Leadership", but implicates an inherent necessity of it.The "Power Peaceful Leadership" supplies us a useful theoretical perspective to interpret the leadership issue of East Asian economic integration. In fact, some logic of the "Power Peaceful Leadership" has been shown during the process of "Regionalization" in East Asia. For example, as the dominance in the "Geese Model", Japan plays a power leadership role in a certain sense in the East Asian regional integration, so does China as the axis of the East Asian industrial chain. Doubtless, the "Power Peaceful Leadership" will probably afford us a useful thinking to solve the problems in East Asian integration. And it will give us a much better method to deal with the crux of Sino-Japanese relationship. The integration of East Asian economies has an intrinsic necessity to the "Power Peaceful Leadership".The integration of East Asian economies needs the "Power Peaceful Leadership", which nation in East Asia can play this kind of role? By analyzing the leadership issue in East Asian economic integration, this dissertation can draw such a conclusion: China and Japan have the probability to become leading countries. Sino-Japanese cooperation will be the best leadership model. China is the largest countries in territory in East Asia, with the largest market. Also being the "engine" of East Asian Economy, China participates in and takes the lead of the process and it conforms to the logic of the historical development.Based on its economic and technological strength, Japan can show its leading capability by affording capital and technology. What's more, Japan has manifested somewhat activeness. China should take a strategy to cooperate with Japan to push the process of East Asian economic integration by East Asian "France-Germany Core". Only by creating some regional regimes can East Asian economic integration be achieved, on the basis of Sino-Japanese active cooperation.