declaration for the Era of Asia

[Narayanan Kannan]

Forum declares 'Era of Asia'
By Jin Hyun-joo

INCHEON - A three-day forum promoting Asia's economic integration
culminated in the adoption of a "declaration for the Era of Asia," in
which basic principles and action plans to create the Asian economic
community were laid out.

Wrapping up the Asia Economic Community Forum, which was sponsored by
the Herald Media, participants also said the Asian bloc faces
leadership challenges to deal with an array of economic, security and
other issues.

"Asia is not a concept defined geographically nor religiously or
culturally. Asia should be defined in terms of the coming future," the
declaration said.

"It will be widely publicized that Asia's economic cooperation and
integration through the formation of the Asia Economic Community will
contribute to overcoming global economic crisis and also maintaining
continued prosperity."

According to the statement, a leadership academy will be set up in
Incheon, Korea, under the support of major Asian nations including
Korea, China and Japan, in order to jointly foster Asia's
next-generation leaders.

Representatives of diverse groups within and without the Asian region
including scholars, businessmen, governments and politicians, will be
participating in a task force to be established to develop an Asia
Charter by presenting practical visions and policy alternatives for
the Asia Economic Community.

Economic research institutions will also build an international
network to develop the agenda items and prepare alternatives for G20
Summit Conference to be held in Korea in November, thereby actively
participating global economic order.

The forum, which took place from Nov. 11-13, brought together people
from academia, politics and business, who held discussions in 20
sessions with the topic of "global crisis and Asia: solutions and new
paradigm."

In a wrap-up session yesterday, T.J. Pempel, a political science
professor of UC Berkeley, cited the rise of Asia and its
self-confidence as one of the important messages from the conference.

He said, however, Asia faces "a number of very serious problems,"
including security issues, territorial disputes, and the economic
crisis and climate change.

"Asia is still struggling over the question of leadership," said
Pempel, who was director of the Institute of East Asian Studies from
2002 until 2007.

Gerard Roland, an economics professor of UC Berkeley, also voiced the
need for Asian countries to create institutions that will anchor peace
and prosperity, and foster "deeper integration."

He said it is important to create an institution to tackle the North
Korean problems, which threaten to destabilize the Asian region.

"Different countries have to prepare to collaborate on possible
emergency situations in North Korea," he said.

Meanwhile, renowned French author Guy Sorman gave a keynote lecture on
"the next value system: how to avoid a clash between China and the
United States," in which he challenged the notion that China may
replace the United States as the leading global power.

"China is still not a leading power while its economy depends on the
rest of the world and its capacity for innovation is limited."

He also said," The Chinese political model is not attractive for the
rest of the world: China does not export universal values."

He concluded his lecture by saying China should remain as one of the
stakeholders in the Asian region, which will make Asia more secure and
the world harmonious.

(hj...@heraldm.com)






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