Opinion | The US-China rivalry is biggest threat to APEC

By Augustus K. Yeung

HIGHLIGHT: "AT THE HEART OF THE DEBATE ON THESE ISSUES ARE

CONTRASTING US AND CHINESE VISIONS OF THE REGIONAL ORDER."

 

Introduction

As the world wonders whether the US President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping (among other leaders) would ever meet at all, the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation has announced this week that they are due to meet virtually. At long last!

This Year's APEC is Chaired by New Zealand

This year's APEC, chaired by New Zealand will in the words of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern seek to "chart a path to recovery out of a once-in-a-century crisis" caused by the pandemic. This has been the biggest economic and political shock since World War II for Apec's nearly 3 billion population who generate around 60 per cent of global GDP.

"Ardern will seek to promote an inclusive sustainable and resilient recovery and, after around 340 preliminary APEC meetings, progress has been made. This includes an agreement to a five-year programme of economic reforms that will kick-start growth and create new jobs." Wrote Andrew Hammond, an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.

APEC members have reportedly agreed this week to reduce or eliminate many tariffs and border hold-ups on vaccines, masks and other medical products important to fighting the coronavirus.

New Zealand also said on Wednesday that the bloc had agreed to reiterate a "strong stance" against vaccine nationalism, is committed to tackling climate change post-COP26, and progressing on trade too.

However, important as these commitments are, the sessions today and tomorrow are likely to show yet again that APEC's consensus-driven approach is creaking. Even before the pandemic, the APEC consensus model was strained, with the group unable to agree on a communique at its 2018 meeting, while the 2019 session was cancelled due to protests.

Ardern's Efforts to Promote a Pan-APEC Approach

"Ardern's efforts to promote a pan-APEC approach are being undercut by intra-forum squabbles, especially between the United States and China, but also Taipei and Beijing, which have both put in applications to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Beijing opposes Taipei's bid," said Hammond.

At the heart of the debate on these issues are contrasting US and Chinese visions of the regional order.

It is US--China bilateral rivalry, however, which could most impede APEC. One manifestation of this tension is different views over the US offer to host APEC in 2022, which would be the first time since 2021. Both China and Russia are cool on the US proposal, with neither yet agreeing to it.

The US Desires to Host the 2023 Event

"The US desire to Host the 2023 event reflects the White House's broader strategy. Biden, just like Beijing, wants to shape the regional order, in the US' case, to demonstrate its commitment to a free and open Asia-Pacific. What is being referred to here is the nascent US strategy to shape the APEC landscape." Andrew Hammond observed.

As the Biden team flexes its muscles, it is aware of the Chinese juggernaut being mobilized by China's President Xi in the form of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the proposed Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) provide a non-US alternative model for economic integration shaped by Beijing with its interests centre stage.

It is in this context that the Biden team is beginning to set out its own stall. This includes the new Aukus alliance, comprising Australia, the US and the United Kingdom. A key remaining question for US allies therefore is whether the Biden team will now step up to the plate and develop a comprehensive, well-funded grand strategy to embed US influence. In the post-war period, the US has undertaken a global institutional-building project to encourage the growth of democracy and open markets across the world, including Apec itself.

Yet, with Trump pulling the plug on US participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a vacuum now exists. The danger for Washington is that, unless Biden acts decisively, irresistible momentum could now build for a regional architecture which favours Beijing, damaging US influence not just with local allies, but potentially beyond, too.

Conclusion

It is obvious that Andrew Hammond is writing from a pro-Western perspective, which sees the vacuum created by Joe Biden's predecessor Donald Trump as a "danger for Washington". Why should Washington be hanging around the Asia-Pacific when America is geographically remote (thousands of miles away from this region)?

Isn't it time that scholars, academia and researchers begin to see the need for a new order--with China as the key participant instead of the United States, which has lost the mandate of heaven after decades of military misadventures in many parts of the world, notably from Asia to the Middle East?

From the creation of the Aukus pact, Washington's intention is clearly to counter a peacefully rising China, which favours multilateralism and cooperation as opposed to America's top-down hegemonic unilateralism.

And yet, Washington branded itself as a "democracy" and China as being "authoritarian" when in fact this wrong labeling should have been reversed. Now that President Xi is leading the debate, which should ultimately serve to clarify this unfortunate confusion of a conceptual nature.

Andrew Hammond says attempts to forge a consensus at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum this week are being undercut by tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Shouldn't the world's self-styled leaders step aside?! Let language and logic decide.

(Source: "The US-China rivalry is biggest threat to APEC." By Andrew Hammond, associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. South China Morning Post, Friday, November 12, 2021.)

The author is a freelance writer; formerly Adjunct Lecturer, taught MBA Philosophy of Management, and International Strategy, and online columnist of 3-D Corner (HKU SPACE), University of Hong Kong.

 

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

Read more articles by Augustus K. Yeung:

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