Michael F. Reber is a graduate student at Southeast Missouri State, and student government ambassador to Japan.
Recently I attended an international conference in Tokyo, Japan titled "Asia's Role in the Changing World Order." This conference was a historical event leading up to the G7 Summit in July.
The conference reaffirmed four beliefs that the majority of the speakers agreed upon:
1. Asia has matured economically and politically; 2. Asia is at peace; 3. Asia's economies are developing from within and without; and 4. Asia wants America involved.
For many Americans, we are unable to accept, or at least understand, the fact that Asia has matured economically and politically. Meaning, Asia has learned from the United States and is now able to develop on its own without the advise and consent of the U.S. It was just after World War II that many nations in the Asian-Pacific region turned towards the U.S. for economic and political assistance. For example, the U.S. helped foster the growth of Japan economically and politically. As a result, Japan is now able to function on its own without the assistance of the U.S. But this does not mean they aren't thankful. At the conference, many of the speakers said Asia was very grateful to American in showing them the way towards economic and social prosperity.
The second point made at the conference is that Asia is at peace. However, I would argue that we should not let down are guard and still be leery of hot spots, such as Cambodia, North Korea, India, and Pakistan. True, there is no major war in the region, but the world is still unstable and we should not become too confident that everything is fine just because of the economic success of Asia.
The third point is that Asia's economies are developing from within and without. This could be both a good thing and a bad thing for America. As Asia develops from within, the standard of living increases and so does the size of the middle class. If America was able to offer high value-added products at competitive prices, then we gain a large market share of Asia and this would help the economy back home. However, if America is unable to offer these products, continues to increase trade barriers, and continues to threaten China's MFN (Most Favored Nation) status, then we may make the Asians uncomfortable and they could make it very difficult for us to enter those markets. Also, as Asia develops without, America's own market could be threatened by high value-added products of foreign competitors. To offset this imbalance, America needs to become more competitive and not more protective.
The final point made at the conference is that Asia wants and needs America involved. Some Americans fear that Asia will dominate the world economic and political arena in the future. This belief stems from the fact that we are accustomed to living in a bipolar world and we are not comfortable with the transition towards world cooperation.
However, I do not believe that one side of the globe will have so much power if we are able to cooperate with each other. Dr. Henry Kissinger made the point that the world is not "intellectually prepared" for this New World Order. I must agree with him. The world is no longer the United States and the other guy. But the world is now all of us cooperating together for the fundamental human needs. The prime minister of Singapore said it plain and simple, "All countries have a duty to allow their citizens to live with dignity." As Americans, we play an important role in leading the world to live with dignity, for it is an important part of our national character.
In addition, America plays a very important role in maintaining security in the region. Winston Lord, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, stated that "America is determined to maintain its military presence in the region." At the conference, I did not hear one prime minister disagree with him. Even though the Cold War is over, the world is still an unsafe place. Because Asia is trying to develop its economies, I am confident Asia does not want to see the American military presence in the region diminish.
I would like to close by saying that this New World Order is an excellent opportunity for all America to help forge a new beginning for all. Currently, many Americans believe we have lost our leadership role in the world. But this is not true. We enjoy a high standard of living that many Asians will never be able to enjoy. Therefore, we should not give up hope. Instead, we should be aware that America does have a role in Asia and it is a leadership role. If we are serious about this leadership role, then we have to get back to the basics of America. These are 1. Respect for the family; 2. Respect for neighbors; 3. Respect for education; and 4. Respect for nation. Because Asians have been practicing these four American fundamentals that we so cherish, they are prospering.
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