The role of norms and powers in East Asia's Security architecture

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has contributed to the absence of any major war between its members but it has a limited role in the greater East Asian security structure. Since it was established in 1967, ASEAN has developed a set of principles and norms (“the ASEAN way”) on respect for members' sovereign equality, non-interference in each others' domestic affairs and the importance of quiet diplomacy to guide their cooperation. In the early 1990'ies, after the end of the cold war, ASEAN tried to extend “the ASEAN way” to the relations between all countries in East Asia and countries with a special security role in the region (i.e., the United States) when the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) was set up. The report evaluates the role of the ASEAN normative framework compared to the policies of two prominent great powers in the region, China and the United States.