ASEAN a vision of economic integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

ASEAN a vision of economic integration - Essay Example In as much as ASEAN is a regional economic powerhouse, the organization has a number of challenges, and these challenges include disputes amongst its members concerning the South China Sea maritime region. Experts in international relations claim that ASEAN lacks the necessary diplomatic coherence, and its member countries have different strategic priorities, and this makes it difficult for the alliance to make any meaningful negotiation with China, which is responsible for creating animosity in the region, with its claim of various territories. This has resulted in the creation of diplomatic tensions within the region (Jones, 2012). In as much as this territorial tension arises, ASEAN is a useful ally of United States. The United States on most occasions uses the alliance to expand its influence into the region, and to limit the influence of China into the region. Cooperation between United States and ASEAN has been strengthened, through the treaty referred to as Amity and Cooperation. This treaty allows the United States to attend any summit sponsored by ASEAN, and creates an annual U.S-ASEAN summit (Blizkovsky, 2013). This paper argues that ASEAN plays a great role in promoting economic integration within the region. In defending this thesis, the researcher will use the three levels of analysis that are used to analyze relations amongst the states in International relations (Blizkovsky, 2013). The three levels of analysis are individual, domestic, and systematic levels of analysis (Dunne, Kurki and Smith, 2010). The individual level of analysis involves the analysis of the character traits of individual leaders, and those responsible for making policies within a given state (Dunne, Kurki and Smith, 2010). This level focuses on the human actors in the international relations, and their process of making decisions. For example, the World War 1 is attributed to the personal character of Kaiser Wilhelm II (Dunne, Kurki and Smith, 2010).