Globalization in Asia: Getting the Breeze without the Bugs Summary of Case: Since Asias economic crisis began

the region has begun to express doubts about the impact of globalization on regional societies. Although the term defies simple definition, participants agreed that globalization has several core characteristics such as unprecedented economic interdependence. The impact of globalization on Asias security is complex. In some ways the impact has been positive. Globalization may give rise to new security concerns, and aggravate existing tensions. Globalization is often viewed as a challenge to national sovereignty, states in Asia have chosen to embrace the global economy. As the effects of an unprecedented economic crisis continue to ripple across Asia, a fundamental issue has moved to the forefront of policy discussion in the region, the long term impact of globalization on Asian societies. The Asian financial crisis has provided new fuel for this debate. Prominent, mainstream Asian thinkers form India to Malaysia, to Japan are now pointing to globalization as a possible threat to internal cohesion and economic health. Globalization is to examine the impact of globalization on Asia, the term must first be define. The task is not simple. The impact of globalization on Asias security environment is complex. In addition to affecting political and economic conditions within states, globalization may be transforming relations among states. Nevertheless, the impact of globalization on the regional security environment is not entirely positive. Weakening regional institutions when Asias financial crisis, and the forces of globalization more broadly, may have a corrosive effect on the regions multilateral institutions. Globalization is often viewed as a threat to the authority and sovereignty of the state. The Asian financial crisis demonstrates that governments are increasingly hard pressed to insulate their populations from the pressures of the world economy. The states remains the central actor in Asia, and its centrality is unlikely to change in a fundamental way even with the rise of globalization. Asia economic crisis has had a profound impact on the regions security environment. Through two conference and a roundtable discussion hosted during 1998, the Asia-Pacific Centre has explored in depth the near term implication of the crisis, the suspension of arms modernization programs and military exercise, diminished solidarity within ASEAN, and the enhanced regional role of United State to name only a few. As the crisis wore on, it became clear that the debate in Asia had shifted to the larger issue of globalization more broadly, on the Asia Pacific region.