FOIP and BRI: Challenging the Southeast Asia Regional Comple

Regional Complex Security Theory

A theory espoused by Barry Buzan and Ole Waever, which identifies a regional security complex as a group of states whose primary national security concerns are so closely intertwined together that they cannot be extracted or addressed independently of each other. The theory views security interdependence as a critical factor in the creation of regionally based clusters. RSCT provides a framework for analysis and comparison of regional security of different regions. According to the theory Southeast Asia is defined as Regional Complex.

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is an ambitious programme to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks along six corridors with the aim of improving regional integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth.The name was coined in 2013 by China’s President Xi Jinping.

The initiative defines five major priorities:

• policy coordination;

• infrastructure connectivity;

• unimpeded trade;

• financial integration;

• and connecting people

“Security Complexes: a Theory of Regional Security.” Regions and Powers: The Structure of International Security, by Barry Buzan and Ole Wæver, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003, pp. 40–82. Cambridge Studies in International Relations.

"Belt And Road Initiative (BRI) ". Ebrd.Com, 2020, https://www.ebrd.com/what-we-do/belt-and-road/overview.html. Accessed 26 July 2020.

FOIP and BRI maps

Free and Open Indo Pasific Project (FOIP)

Do you have any questions?

In August 2016, Prime Minister Abe announced his vision for “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” in his keynote address at TICAD VI held in Kenya. A key for stability and prosperity of the international community is dynamism that is created by combining “Two Continents” : Asia that is rapidly growing and Africa that possesses huge potential of growth; and “Two Oceans” : Free and open Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean ⇒ Develop a free and open Indo-Pacific region as “international public goods”

1. Promotion and establishment of the rule of law, freedom of navigation, free trade, etc.

2. Pursuit of economic prosperity

Physical connectivity: quality infrastructure (ports, railways, roads, energy and ICT) People-to-people connectivity: education, training and friendship Institutional connectivity: harmonization and common rules including through EPA/FTA

3. Commitment for peace and stability

Mofa.Go.Jp, 2020, https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000407643.pdf. Accessed 26 July 2020.

My research Questions

My Minor Questions:

Do economic projects become more important than military projects or alliances?

Do China and Japan securitized the countries, in the scope of research, Southeast Asian countries?

Can economic benefits, projects and/or alliances create new regions?

What are the criticism about Copenhagen school about critical security theory?

Are FOIP and BRI total competitor?

What are the reasons behind Japan and China lean to economic projects?

Can countries in between FOIP and BRI take advantage of projects or negatively effected?

My Major Question:

Do two big economic projects penetrate or re-create the South Asia Regional Complex?

Research Methodology& Data Collection

Research methodology: case study

A case study is a research strategy and an empirical inquiry that investigates a phenomenon within its real-life context.

Case studies are based on an in-depth investigation of to explore the causes of underlying principles.

A case study is a descriptive and exploratory analysis.

A case study research can be single or multiple case studies, includes quantitative evidence, relies on multiple sources of evidence and benefits from the prior development of theoritical propositions.

Case studies are analysis of persons, groups, events, decisions, periods, policies, institutions or other systems that are studied holistically by one or more methods.

Data Collection

Besides the literature review, making some interviews with bureaucrats, think tank analysts and scholars who are interested in FOIP and BRI in Southeast Asia is planning.

It could be a field research to Southeast Asian RSC (it is still unclear because of COVID19)

The main theory which is used that Copenhagen School’s theory about security which is part of critical security.

MLA is chosen as a reference style

"Definition Of Case Study". Pressacademia, 2020, https://www.pressacademia.org/definition-of-case-study/. Accessed 26 July 2020.

FOIP and BRI: Challenging the Southeast Asia Regional Complex

Research Proposal Presentation for Seminar A (GSICCS)

Vuslat Nur SAHIN (2nd Semester PhD Student)