The intricacies of building an East Asian community
Published: 09 Nov. 2009, 21:10
Chen Haosu
To hear more about Beijing’s perspective on the issue, the JoongAng Ilbo sat down with Chen Haosu, 67, a prominent diplomatic figure in China who has served as the chairman of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries since 2000.
Chen is a member of the “Crown Prince Party,” a group of literal and metaphorical descendants of prominent senior officials in the Chinese Communist Party. Most of the members of this group hold high-level positions in politics and business in the country. Chen is the eldest son of Chen Yi, one of the 10 marshals who contributed to the founding of the People’s Republic of China and later served as China’s foreign minister as well as the first mayor of Shanghai.
In the interview, Chen said he expects to see the creation of an East Asian community, though it may take some time. Following are excerpts from the interview with Chen.
Q. What do you think of the idea of developing an East Asian community?
A. I think it is positive because it represents the Asian people’s long-cherished wish and their unspoken voice. Once the cradle of civilization, Asia was outpaced by Europe, but the region has finally emerged from its shell and is now reviving itself, which I see as a new historical trend.
What do you think the three nations of China, Korea and Japan have in common?
In addition to the emphasis we place on individual self-discipline, we share a culture of putting the community before the individual, in which one’s role in a certain group such as a family or the nation is viewed as important.
This emphasis on one’s contribution to the development of his or her community gives us a culture that is basically different from Western individualism.
What are the differences between the three countries then?
China, which is a continent; Korea, which is a peninsula; and Japan, which is an island, have developed different traits because of their geographical differences. Particularly, the wars in the modern era have created a psychological distance between Japan and the other two. China and Korea have also become more alienated from one another since the Korean War. It is time to heal these historical and psychological wounds.
Will it be possible for the three nations to form a Northeast Asian community even though they are at different levels of development and have their own affairs?
I think it is feasible. Just as there are differences in our culinary cultures, we won’t need to share everything because we have a plan for such a community. Mutual development is possible if we respect and learn from each other’s cultures.
What should be done to realize this kind of three-nation community?
It is necessary to create opportunities for varied and multilayered exchange in the political, economic and cultural sectors. Also, mutual trust and respect for each other should be maintained in the face of our differences. We are already bound together in terms of the economy. What is important here is the effort to recognize, engage and learn from each other.
Will it be possible for an East Asian community to grow into a substantial regional bloc like the European Union, even though there are unresolved issues such as the North Korean nuclear issue?
The European Union also started out as a group of six countries 60 years ago.
What could make things difficult for the East Asian region is the history of war and the differences in culture, political structures and social systems. However, such a grand goal cannot be achieved in a day. There is no need to rush. It would be undesirable to do nothing for fear of differences or conflicts. The North Korean nuclear issue is a burden to the development of our region, but we will be able to fix it through multilateral talks.
By Chang Se-jeong [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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