Do you like 'Lord of Rings' triology? I really do. I watched them all in the cinema. You may remember the big and firey eye:'Eye of Sauron'. Even with the big eye which can roll 360 degrees, Prodo could sneak in and destory the ring. Joining JGU, I feel a bit like the big eye guy. I thought I have been comparatively knowledgeable about international issues. However, taking the courses and exchanging ideas with the professors and co-students, I recognize that it is impossible to know and monitor the globe with no blind spot.
I guess you might have the same feelings I do. So, I think through revealing my perspectives, you can get triggered to try to be more enlightened. Now, I want to talk about "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework". The reason I felt like writing about it is that "Indo-Pacific Economic Framework" is quite related to the the country I was born, the country I lived, and the country I am living in.
TPP(Trans-Pacific Partnership) had been a long and pivotal issue in Japan. One reason is that before Trump Administration declared it would get out of it, TPP was the main framework through which Abe administration was pursuing free trades with the main partners in the Indo-Pacific Area, agitating over the concern that Japan could fall behind the trend of lowering or removing trade barriers. If you try going to used bookstores in Japan, you can find quite a lot of books dealing with TPP in the section of politics and economics.
Late November this year, I happened to find a Youtube video in which Gina M. Raimondo, U. S. Secterary of Commerce, was being interviewed by a Japanese news media. In the interview, she was explaining a new frame on which Biden Adminstration is going to deal with economic issues with states in Indo-Pacific Area, adding that the new one will replace TPP. It was Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
Interview with Gina M. Raimondo, US Secretary of Commerce
I googled her name. In the late November, she was visiting Southeast Asia including Malaysia.
US says that new Indo-Pacific Economic Frame not typical trade deal
In mid December, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken was visiting ASEAN, during which I heard the news that there was an official ceremony for Intel's expansion of its own operation in Penang(where I am living) which is worth about $7 billion.
Late December, I found another Youtube video in which US Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez was explaining Biden Administration's general economic policy and Indo-Pacifi Economic Framework. He was visiting Seoul after he finished his schedules in Tokyo. The video was taken at about the same time when US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken was in Southeast Asia.
Under Secretary talks about Biden Administration's economic policies
From oil to semiconductors
Bush Administration invaded Iraq even after it failed to find evidences that Iraq had developed weapons of mass destruction. The excuse was that Saddam Hussein hid and cooperated with terrorist groups which were involved in 9/11 attack but the grand strategy was that through reveraging the war with Iraq, U.S. advances its position in the Middle East and secures oil supply. About two decades later, U.S. became the big producer of oil thanks to shale. Now, semiconductors are the things which U.S. economy desperately needs to secure in order to take advanced steps in competition with China. South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and ASEAN are the suppliers. We can say that in November and December diplomatic energy of U.S. was poured into securing the suppliers. South Korea has Samsung Electronics. Japan is the main producer of machinery and materials for manufacturing semiconductors. Taiwan has TSMC. Intel has been operating its facilities in Malaysia since 1972.
Intel new production facility in Penang ready in early 2024
Democracy, democracy, and democracy
Watching the Youtube videos and reading the articles, I got an impresseion that 'democracy' is strongly emphasized as the shared value. Even in the video of interview with Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo, 'democracy' was repeatedly mentioned. From my perspectives, the term sounded more like a strategy than principle. The partners in Indo-Pacific Economic Framework are in Asia, which means that China is their neighbors. Many of them have complaints over China's diplomatic and economic policies. However, they do not want to experience big troubles with China, either. Democracy is quite useful in this kind of situation. Many countries such as South Korea feel uncomfortable with U.S. envoys' direct mentioning of 'China'. Emphasizing 'democracy' is a smart rhetorics through which Asian states feel easy in the new realm of Indo-Pacific Economic Framework without igniting China's sentiment.
Economic framework not trade pact
I heard the term "TPP" for a long time, which means it took a lot of time and energy to build it up. From the perspectives of U.S. it was quite burdensome in Washington politics. Politicians in U.S Congress were reluctant to ratify it because they could get backlash by their voters blaming politicians in Washington are manipulating thier given power taking thier jobs overseas. If President Biden had pursued 'TPP' again, he should have spent all his time and energy arguing with the Congresspersons. He had been a Congresman for a long time and knew what it is like. Biden Administration seems to have chosen a bypass to make a new frame in order to deal with the new challenge in international relations around Indo-Pacific area pretty swiftly.
Biden, old and bold
I was so impressed with President Biden, comparing him with President Obama. After the inauguration in late January, he took time to reconfigure U.S. foreign policy. Then, he took actions. Look at how decisive he was for Taiwan and Afghanistan. He dispatched his staff all around Asia in order to persuade and encourage the countries in the area to join the new frame. He finished the transforming process before Christmas. As far as I remember, President Obama was not that fast.
The real rivalry just began
2022 will be the year recovery from COVID19. The emergency situation will be over. Then, people will find themsleve in a world they had not used to be. China won't be able to enjoy taking the benefit of free trade under the umbrella U.S. had made. Americans will have to tighten their belts facing rising price rates. The rest countries can not help but watch both of the two superpowers wrestling.
I am looking forward to 2022.
