Case Studies on Preventive Diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific

Series on Asian Regional Cooperation Studies: Volume 2

Authors: Yanjun Guo & Lin Wu (eds.)

ISBN: 978-981-121-681-7

Publisher: World Scientific

Year: 2021

Reviewed by Rodolfo Maggio, Professor of Social Anthropology, University of Turin, Italy

Case Studies on Preventive Diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific is an edited volume consisting of 17 chapters addressing the concept of “Preventive diplomacy” from different perspectives in the Asia Pacific region. It is primarily written for people who have an interest in security studies and whose research focuses on the Asia Pacific region. Its geographical coverage includes countries such as Australia, China, Russia, Japan, Indonesia, and others, as well as issues of international debate such as the South China Sea, the case of international submarine cables, and the Rohingya crisis. This combination of geographical and thematic areas provides the readers with both localised and general illustrations of the range of issues, as well as current experiences and practices in conflict prevention.

The first part of the volume focuses on experiences and practices of conflict prevention in specific territories, such as the peace process in Myanmar, the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the policy implications of preventive diplomacy conducted by Timor-Leste with Indonesia and Australia. In this part, comprising the first nine chapters, the reader will find cases that illustrate the complexity of applying the concept of preventive diplomacy to specific contexts, and the resulting limitations of narrow, a priori conceptualisations.

The second part of the volume presents a series of “Issue Areas” such as the implications of the ASEAN conflict prevention culture on the socio-cultural cooperation between ASEAN countries and China, the relationship between preventive diplomacy and information technology, and other major issues like migration, ethnic conflicts, and security in communication technology. The reader interested in exploring preventive diplomacy in relation to such major issues will find eight chapters that do that in this section.

The 17 chapters collectively reiterate the importance of understating concepts locally and in relation to specific contemporary issues, rather than assuming that local circumstances can somehow be neglected when trying to effectively implement concepts originally coined elsewhere. In particular, several chapters deal, in one way or another, with the problem of localising preventive diplomacy in relation to China. In Chapter 1, which concerns the Chinese take on the concept of responsibility to protect, traditional Chinese values such as respect for state sovereignty and non-intervention principles are noted as influences on the contemporary Chinese attitude towards the Libya crisis. Other subtle differences between the Chinese perspective and the general framework of the United Nations also contribute to making the concept of conflict prevention malleable according to specific contexts of application. This is particularly important in uncertain circumstances such as the border issues between China and other countries in Eurasia, illustrated in Chapter 2. China is again the focus of the attention in Chapter 3, which analyses the longstanding fence-mending process between China and Japan as an epitomising case of preventive diplomacy by the part of two countries that prevented the escalation of their disputes into violent conflicts and broader regional threats, such as the territorial disputes on the Sentaku/Diaoyu Dao Islands. However, no territorial dispute seems to have attracted as much attention as the South China Sea issue. Chapter 4 takes a regional perspective in order to elucidate the importance of strengthening a preventive diplomacy approach in the area to maintain diplomatic cooperation in the Asia Pacific. Preventive diplomacy is examined in relation to China in other chapters as well, such as the analysis of its engagement in conflicts between Afghanistan and Pakistan, its participation in the Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh, and its response to new migratory routes from Southeast Asia.

The main strength of this volume consists of applying the concept of preventive diplomacy to specific contexts and challenges to make its overall definition more precise and, thus, suitable. For example, the three instances of preventive interventions in conflict scenarios analysed in Chapter 7 suggest that the conceptualisation of preventive diplomacy requires some subtle revisions. The definition provided by the ASEAN Regional Forum suggests that conflicts only arise between States, hence it does not include conflicts arising within States. This is the case of conflicts situations in Bougainville, Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, and others. in addition to suggesting a revision of the general definition of preventive diplomacy, a number of important lessons are drawn from Australia’s role in these conflicts. In order to implement concrete measures to prevent regional conflicts, it is necessary to take into account the complex reality that often lies beyond the formal definition of State. Actors and institutions both inside and beyond State borders can become key elements in the deployment of successful preventive programs.

Such an argument has direct implications for the formulation of preventive diplomacy as a practical measure to address contemporary cases of intra-state conflicts. A case in point is the limited intervention of ASEAN countries in the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. The limits were due to normative constraints resulting from the ASEAN norms regarding sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference on internal affairs. However, it is argued that intra-state conflicts like this impose a humanitarian burden on neighbouring countries too, which also has consequences on the peace and stability of the wider region. Hence, one of the main straights of this volume consists in connecting issues such as the insufficient definition of preventive diplomacy and the practical limits on what ASEAN member states can confidently do to address conflicts in the Asia Pacific region.

Another strength of this volume is the straightforward connection between lessons learnt and policy implications. Chapter 8 looks at the case of preventive diplomacy conducted by Timor-Lest with Australia and Indonesia to suggest that the maritime boundary settled by the 2018 treaty seeks to prevent the disputes over the ownership and control of oil resources from escalating into armed conflicts. The chapter analyses the details of the treaty in order to illustrate how a complex political situation can be addressed by means of sophisticate and practical jurisprudential instruments.

The volume also seeks to broaden the definition of preventive diplomacy by including cases that prima facie might not seem to be considered as security threats in the traditional sense of the term. That is the case of natural disasters in the Philippines. The chapter about international submarine cables too might seem to fit oddly within the overall theme of the volume, however, the argument is presented in such a way as to illustrate that the risk of sabotage and tapping constitutes a major challenge of geographical vulnerability and, thus, preventive diplomacy. Broadening the definition of what it is to be prevented in order to include a wider range of situations reminds us at once of the importance of preventive diplomacy and the complexity of socio-economic and cultural contexts in which seemingly innocuous and/or dormant issues might potentially, and quickly, escalate into violent conflicts.

In conclusion, people who have an interest in security studies and whose research focuses on the Asia Pacific region will find several sources of inspiration and reflection on the definition and applicability of the preventive diplomacy concept. The broad geographical and thematic coverage make this book an updated and valid reference to study the successes and limitations of preventive diplomacy. Furthermore, several chapters focused on China will provide readers with novel insights into the changing geopolitical order in the Asia Pacific region.

Case Studies on Preventive Diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific is an edited volume consisting of 17 chapters addressing the concept of “Preventive diplomacy” from different perspectives in the Asia Pacific region. It is primarily written for people who have an interest in security studies and whose research focuses on the Asia Pacific region. Its geographical coverage includes countries such as Australia, China, Russia, Japan, Indonesia, and others, as well as issues of international debate such as the South China Sea, the case of international submarine cables, and the Rohingya crisis. This combination of geographical and thematic areas provides the readers with both localised and general illustrations of the range of issues, as well as current experiences and practices in conflict prevention.

The first part of the volume focuses on experiences and practices of conflict prevention in specific territories, such as the peace process in Myanmar, the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the policy implications of preventive diplomacy conducted by Timor-Leste with Indonesia and Australia. In this part, comprising the first nine chapters, the reader will find cases that illustrate the complexity of applying the concept of preventive diplomacy to specific contexts, and the resulting limitations of narrow, a priori conceptualisations.

The second part of the volume presents a series of “Issue Areas” such as the implications of the ASEAN conflict prevention culture on the socio-cultural cooperation between ASEAN countries and China, the relationship between preventive diplomacy and information technology, and other major issues like migration, ethnic conflicts, and security in communication technology. The reader interested in exploring preventive diplomacy in relation to such major issues will find eight chapters that do that in this section.

The 17 chapters collectively reiterate the importance of understating concepts locally and in relation to specific contemporary issues, rather than assuming that local circumstances can somehow be neglected when trying to effectively implement concepts originally coined elsewhere. In particular, several chapters deal, in one way or another, with the problem of localising preventive diplomacy in relation to China. In Chapter 1, which concerns the Chinese take on the concept of responsibility to protect, traditional Chinese values such as respect for state sovereignty and non-intervention principles are noted as influences on the contemporary Chinese attitude towards the Libya crisis. Other subtle differences between the Chinese perspective and the general framework of the United Nations also contribute to making the concept of conflict prevention malleable according to specific contexts of application. This is particularly important in uncertain circumstances such as the border issues between China and other countries in Eurasia, illustrated in Chapter 2. China is again the focus of the attention in Chapter 3, which analyses the longstanding fence-mending process between China and Japan as an epitomising case of preventive diplomacy by the part of two countries that prevented the escalation of their disputes into violent conflicts and broader regional threats, such as the territorial disputes on the Sentaku/Diaoyu Dao Islands. However, no territorial dispute seems to have attracted as much attention as the South China Sea issue. Chapter 4 takes a regional perspective in order to elucidate the importance of strengthening a preventive diplomacy approach in the area to maintain diplomatic cooperation in the Asia Pacific. Preventive diplomacy is examined in relation to China in other chapters as well, such as the analysis of its engagement in conflicts between Afghanistan and Pakistan, its participation in the Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh, and its response to new migratory routes from Southeast Asia.

The main strength of this volume consists of applying the concept of preventive diplomacy to specific contexts and challenges to make its overall definition more precise and, thus, suitable. For example, the three instances of preventive interventions in conflict scenarios analysed in Chapter 7 suggest that the conceptualisation of preventive diplomacy requires some subtle revisions. The definition provided by the ASEAN Regional Forum suggests that conflicts only arise between States, hence it does not include conflicts arising within States. This is the case of conflicts situations in Bougainville, Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, and others. in addition to suggesting a revision of the general definition of preventive diplomacy, a number of important lessons are drawn from Australia’s role in these conflicts. In order to implement concrete measures to prevent regional conflicts, it is necessary to take into account the complex reality that often lies beyond the formal definition of State. Actors and institutions both inside and beyond State borders can become key elements in the deployment of successful preventive programs.

Such an argument has direct implications for the formulation of preventive diplomacy as a practical measure to address contemporary cases of intra-state conflicts. A case in point is the limited intervention of ASEAN countries in the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. The limits were due to normative constraints resulting from the ASEAN norms regarding sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference on internal affairs. However, it is argued that intra-state conflicts like this impose a humanitarian burden on neighbouring countries too, which also has consequences on the peace and stability of the wider region. Hence, one of the main straights of this volume consists in connecting issues such as the insufficient definition of preventive diplomacy and the practical limits on what ASEAN member states can confidently do to address conflicts in the Asia Pacific region.

Another strength of this volume is the straightforward connection between lessons learnt and policy implications. Chapter 8 looks at the case of preventive diplomacy conducted by Timor-Lest with Australia and Indonesia to suggest that the maritime boundary settled by the 2018 treaty seeks to prevent the disputes over the ownership and control of oil resources from escalating into armed conflicts. The chapter analyses the details of the treaty in order to illustrate how a complex political situation can be addressed by means of sophisticate and practical jurisprudential instruments.

The volume also seeks to broaden the definition of preventive diplomacy by including cases that prima facie might not seem to be considered as security threats in the traditional sense of the term. That is the case of natural disasters in the Philippines. The chapter about international submarine cables too might seem to fit oddly within the overall theme of the volume, however, the argument is presented in such a way as to illustrate that the risk of sabotage and tapping constitutes a major challenge of geographical vulnerability and, thus, preventive diplomacy. Broadening the definition of what it is to be prevented in order to include a wider range of situations reminds us at once of the importance of preventive diplomacy and the complexity of socio-economic and cultural contexts in which seemingly innocuous and/or dormant issues might potentially, and quickly, escalate into violent conflicts.

In conclusion, people who have an interest in security studies and whose research focuses on the Asia Pacific region will find several sources of inspiration and reflection on the definition and applicability of the preventive diplomacy concept. The broad geographical and thematic coverage make this book an updated and valid reference to study the successes and limitations of preventive diplomacy. Furthermore, several chapters focused on China will provide readers with novel insights into the changing geopolitical order in the Asia Pacific region.