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New Vision of the Asia-Pacific Region
in the 21st century
Introduction:
Constructing a peaceful and
prosperous Asia-Pacific common house
The international community is in the
process of building a new world order now that the Cold War is over, and
Asia-Pacific is attracting worldwide attention as the most dynamic region
because of its remarkable economic growth. Countries in the region are
cooperating more closely than ever, due in part to the increased economic
exchanges in the area, greater trade and investment, and technological
advances in fields like transportation and telecommunications, with an
increasing sense of common destiny to live together and to share
prosperity.
The Bogor Declaration of 1994 at the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the Action Agenda adopted
at the APEC Osaka Meetings in 1995 and the meetings in the Philippines show
that the cooperative framework in the region is deepening. These achievements
make us justifiably proud as we look forward to APEC membership for all
qualifying APPF member countries.
Asia-Pacific is a diverse area with
many different political systems, levels of economic development, culture,
religion and languages. Rather than viewing this diversity as a shortcoming,
however, we should see it as strong advantage because it makes Asia-Pacific a
"region of possibilities" that can create a new era through the harmonization
of different cultures. In other words, we should embrace our differences with
the goal of creating something new, rather than seeing diversity as a source
of potential conflict.
Of course everyone in the region must
respect the universal values that much of the world strives for today-values
such as democracy, human rights, a free trade system and the desire to bring
all citizens together in harmony. What we are pursuing is the unity and
diversity of the Asia-Pacific region, keeping mutual respect for the customs,
values and traditions of various countries, while learning from each other´s experience and seeking a common ground from
which to build.
In order to achieve general
prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, it is important form a consensus
gradually through dialogue and by respecting the traditions of member
countries. We hereby propose to name this gradual approach the "Asia-Pacific
Way" as a guiding principle for all human beings in the 21st
century.
The Parliamentary members of APPF are
determined to make the Asia-Pacific community a common house where people can
lead peaceful and prosperous lives. And we, as parliamentarians with
considerable influence upon the policy-making processes of understanding,
trust and friendship to promote cooperation in regional politics, security,
the economy, and culture, through such regional inter-parliamentary
organizations as the APPF, with a view to resolving and preventing problems
that this region faces.
To this end, we hereby
propose:
1.- Politics and Security
The region´s economic growth has made
Asia-Pacific increasingly stable. Nevertheless, some problems and
destabilizing factors remain. The region has moved towards adopting a
cooperative approach to handling tensions and potential problems, including
the establishment in 1994 of a multilateral security dialogue, the ASEAN
Regional Forum (ARF). In order to make peace and stability in the region a
long-term reality, we are determined to support the activities of the ASEAN
Regional Forum and to conduct political and security dialogue at a variety of
levels and through different channels using existing bilateral and
multilateral relationships.
In order to promote peace and
stability in the region and increase mutual understanding and confidence among
the countries, we reiterate the 7 principles governing relations among the
countries in Asia-Pacific:
1. Mutual respect for the independence,
sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all
nations;
2. Recognition of the right of every state to
exist as a nation, free from external interference, subversion or coercion
in its internal affairs;
3. Peaceful settlement of international disputes
in accordance with international law and treaties;
4. Mutual efforts to expand confidence building
measures, develop preventive diplomacy and strengthen regional resiliency;
5. Renunciation of the threat or use of force
except in self-defence;
6. Adherence to international instruments which
will prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
7. Respect of the UN Charter and cooperation to
achieve efficiently its objectives.
2.- Economy
Liberalizing and facilitating trade
and investment in the Asia-Pacific are vital in maintaining the region´s
dynamism as a global growth centre that can positively impact the world
economy. Liberalizing trade and investment will promote economic
interdependence and make the region more efficient, thereby creating jobs and
improving the standard of living of people in the region as an effective way
to eliminate poverty. The Bogor Declaration, adopted at the APEC Leader´s
Meeting in November 1994, designated the liberalization of trade and
investment and promotion of development cooperation while reducing economic
disparities among them and improving the economic and social well being of the
people of the Asia-Pacific region, as one of its primary goals. The Action
Agenda at the APEC Leader´s Meeting in Osaka in November 1995 was adopted to
put these goals into practice. APEC member economies compiled individual
Action Plans in accordance with the Osaka Action Agenda and submitted them to
the 1996 Ministerial Meeting at Manila.
It is now time for us to urge
governments to step-up efforts in making APEC a model of "open regional
cooperation" that can supplement and reinforce the multilateral free trade
system (WTO system) by sharing the benefits of liberalization within the
region with countries elsewhere.
Specifically, we will request our
governments to allow non-member countries the opportunity to share the fruits
of APEC´s labor in liberalizing trade and investment within the region. In
order to promote cooperation among regional organizations, we will hold
consultations with parliamentarians from such other regional
organizations.
In order to narrow the differences in
levels of economic development within the Asia-Pacific region and further
vitalize the regional economy, it is important to promote economic and
technical cooperation in fields like the development of human resources,
sciences and technology, energy, small and medium-sized enterprises, and
transportation and communications. We are determined to promote regional
cooperation to help rectify these disparities while utilizing
intergovernmental assistance, especially South-South cooperation, in these
fields.
Furthermore, encouraging the vitality
and initiative of the private sector to ensure further economic sustainable
development in the region is necessary. To do this, an environment where the
private sector can smoothly conduct business activities, while not imposing
economic constraints on vulnerable economies in the region must be created. We
will pursue deregulation, harmonization of standards and certification as well
as multilateral assistance schemes to remove barriers to economic activities
in the private sector in accordance with APEC´s 1994 Bogor Declaration and the
guidelines of the World Trade Organization.
3.- Environment
Environmental issues are a key
challenge facing the Asia-Pacific region. Environmental problems are beginning
to affect not only the degree to which people in the region can enjoy the
results of economic growth but more fundamentally will begin to impede the
extent of that growth.
Demand for food and energy in the
region will grow rapidly as standards rise and expectations increase. Soil
erosion, salinity and pollution of marine and water resources will accompany
pressure for greater agricultural productivity, while increased demands for
energy will impact on the global climate. The growth of urban environments
throughout the world, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region will also place
a huge strain on basic services such as water, sanitation and shelter. These
problems will need to be addressed by all regional governments.
The reality of the environmental
challenges facing the region cannot be denied. Protection of the environment
and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific must not be viewed as
incompatible with economic growth, but as the only thing that will ensure its
continuation.
As environmental deterioration can
spread beyond the limits of a country and could affect a neighboring area, a
regional approach to environmental management should be encouraged. In
formulating a regional approach, the environmental differences and the
different demands of industrializing and developing economies should also be
taken into consideration.
4.- Law and Order
Within the context of fostering
respect for the various laws of our Asia-Pacific community, activities such as
terrorism, production of and trafficking in illicit narcotics, money
laundering and the operations of internationally organized crime syndicates
must be recognized and remedial action taken either through existing laws or
through the enactment of legislation, where necessary, that will outlaw such
activities.
The social welfare of our
communities, the economies of our nations and the political and national
security of the region cannot be guaranteed if illegal elements, both domestic
and international, are allowed to operate with impunity. To prevent this
happening we must stand firm and address this threat by enacting appropriate
legislation, implementing effective enforcement and fostering
closer
international cooperation to
eradicate the problem, thus ensuring that events that have caused catastrophic
problems elsewhere are not allowed to take hold in the Asia-Pacific
region.
5.- Human Rights
For a long time, the world has
struggled against the infringement of human rights. We have fought against
slavery, racism, segregation and other forms of human rights violation. Today,
we face old but newly recognized violations, for example the exploitation of
women and children. It is vital that we start tackling the situation
immediately, and that we make very clear our determination to find ways to put
an end to these abuses.
Any form of exploitation is
unacceptable and merits our intense concern, so that we can offer our children
a brighter future and enable all women to achieve equality, dignity and
respect.
6.- Education and Cultural
Exchanges
The APPF is concerned about the
different standards of education in the Asia-Pacific region. Even in some of
the most developed countries, we find high degrees of illiteracy among adults
and children.
The APPF supports access to education
for all individuals. Its members are prepared to work towards a goal for total
literacy in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Improving standards of
education is important to increase the productivity of the region, to enhance
the cultural level, to promote social welfare and to raise the standard of
living in Asia-Pacific countries.
Furthermore, to foster mutual
understanding, mutual trust, and true friendship in the Asia-Pacific, we think
it is important to understand and respect different cultures. When
encountering different cultures in the future, we should base our cooperative
efforts on universal values while preserving traditional values and refrain
from causing friction. The most effective way to accomplish this goal is to
create as many opportunities as possible for the youth to meet and cultivate
true friendship and trust. In order to lay a solid foundation for this, we
will call on governments to take the initiative so the countries in the region
will implement the "Program on Youth Friendship for the 21st Century" to
promote youth exchanges.
It is vital to promote exchanges
among researchers at universities and research institutes. "The Academic
Exchange Program" is proposed to achieve this and is aimed at promoting joint
research projects between universities and research institutes and at training
younger researchers. We also propose to establish a "Comprehensive Joint
Research Centre" on culture and education in the Asia-Pacific
Region.
The program must include women, who
have not sufficiently benefited from such exchanges. We will urge the
government of each country in the region to establish language and technical
programs especially for women.
To promote mutual understanding and
friendship between countries in the Asia-Pacific, it is important to create an
information infrastructure as a basis for exchanges. We propose that the
"Asia-Pacific Open Information Network" be established as an information
infrastructure where
diversity and openness - the
characteristics of our region - will be respected. This network will include
legislative information exchange so that legislative experience and knowledge
gained by each individual country of the region can be shared among APPF
member countries.
The APPF through its member countries
can play an important role in encouraging practical cooperation between
parliamentary institutions and in fostering political/parliamentary exchanges,
as well as in strengthening regional confidence building and preventive
diplomacy.
Conclusion
The 21st Century, full of new
opportunities and dynamism, is drawing near. In order to build a vigorous and
harmonious Asia-Pacific and fully demonstrate the great potential within this
region, we , the parliamentary members of the APPF are determined to fulfil
our obligations and make important contributions to this end, aspiring to
build as a final goal, the Asia-Pacific common house full of harmony and dynamism.
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