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2 20 YEARS OF ASIA-EUROPE RELATIONS

3 Co-published by Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) 31 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore and World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. 5 Toh Tuck Link, Singapore USA office: 27 Warren Street, Suite , Hackensack, NJ UK office: 57 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9HE ASEF Team: Debasmita Dasgupta, Rafael Secades, R. Raj Kumar Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Kek, Peggy, editor. Container of (work): Goh, Chok Tong, 1941 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), a bridge between East and West. Asia-Europe Meeting, honouree. Title: 20 years of Asia-Europe relations / [edited by] Peggy Kek. Description: New Jersey : World Scientific, [2016] Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN ISBN (hardcover) ISBN (softcover) Subjects: LCSH: Asia-Europe Meeting. Asia--Foreign relations--europe. Europe--Foreign relations--asia. Classification: LCC DS33.4.E85 C DDC dc23 LC record available at British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Copyright 2016 by Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the publisher. For photocopying of material in this volume, please pay a copying fee through the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA. In this case permission to photocopy is not required from the publisher. The articles of this book are the sole responsibility of the contributors and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of ASEF and WSPC. Desk Editors: Dong Lixi/Jiang Yulin Artists: Jimmy Low/Loo Chuan Ming Printed in Singapore

4 20 YEARS OF ASIA-EUROPE RELATIONS Editor Peggy Kek World Scientific

5 iv About Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an intergovernmental forum for dialogue and cooperation established in 1996 to deepen relations between Asia and Europe, which addresses political, economic and socio-cultural issues of common concern. ASEM brings together 53 partners: Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, the Lao PDR, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Viet Nam plus the ASEAN Secretariat and the European Union. For more information, please visit

6 v About Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) promotes understanding, strengthens relationships and facilitates cooperation among the people, institutions and organisations of Asia and Europe. ASEF enhances dialogue, enables exchanges and encourages collaboration across the thematic areas of culture, economy, education, governance, public health and sustainable development. ASEF is an intergovernmental not-for-profit organisation located in Singapore. Founded in 1997, it is the only institution of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). Together with about 750 partner organisations ASEF has run more than 700 projects, mainly conferences, seminars and workshops. Over 20,000 Asians and Europeans have actively participated in its activities and it has reached much wider audiences through its networks, web-portals, publications, exhibitions and lectures. For more information, please visit

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8 vii ASEM Summits in Pictures 1st Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM1) Bangkok, Thailand, _ _layout.indd 7 24/5/16 9:24 AM

9 viii 2 nd Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM2) London, United Kingdom, 1998

10 ix 3 rd Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM3) Seoul, South Korea, 2000 Photo by Jean-Claude Deutsch/Paris Match via Getty Images

11 x 4 th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM4) Copenhagen, Denmark, 2002

12 xi 5 th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM5) Hanoi, Viet Nam, 2004

13 xii 6 th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM6) Helsinki, Finland, 2006

14 xiii 7 th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM7) Beijing, China, 2008

15 xiv 8 th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM8) Brussels, Belgium, 2010

16 xv 9 th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM9) Vientiane, Lao PDR, 2012

17 xvi 10 th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM10) Milan, Italy, 2014

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19 xviii Contents Foreword Ambassador ZHANG Yan Executive Director Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Introduction: ASEM at 20 Peggy KEK Former Director of Public Affairs Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) ASEM: NEW BEGINNINGS The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM): A Bridge between 1 East and West GOH Chok Tong Former Prime Minister Singapore xxiii xxvii Building on 20 Years of ASEM: Expanding 9 Connectivity and Inclusion Chimediin SAIKHANBILEG Prime Minister Mongolia

20 xix ASEM: THE FUTURE, BUILDING ON THE PAST AND PRESENT Connectivity: Shaping the Future of ASEM 17 ZENG Peiyan President of China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE) China 20 Years of Asia-Europe Meeting from 1996 to 2016: 27 An Active Partnership Ready for the Next Decades Frank-Walter STEINMEIER Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Germany Making Employability Work: Indonesia s Experience 35 Anies BASWEDAN Minister of Education and Culture Republic of Indonesia The Beginning and Future of ASEM: The Potential of 47 the Silk Road Project and the AIIB Romano PRODI Former Prime Minister, Italy and Former President, European Commission

21 xx Japan s Initiative for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) 55 Fumio KISHIDA Minister for Foreign Affairs Japan Building a Joint Future for ASEM: View from 65 Kazakhstan Erlan IDRISSOV Minister of Foreign Affairs Republic of Kazakhstan Connectivity as the Key Feature of ASEM s 75 Third Decade Jean ASSELBORN Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Luxembourg The Economic and Social Significance of Creativity 85 Jet BUSSEMAKER Minister of Education, Culture and Science the Netherlands Role of Culture and the Arts for the Promotion of 95 Mutual Understanding and Development between Asia and Europe KIM Jongdeok Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Republic of Korea

22 xxi Sweden s Contribution to the ASEM Informal 103 Seminars on Human Rights Margot WALLSTRÖM Minister for Foreign Affairs Sweden ASEM AND ASEF Reflections on ASEF 113 Tommy KOH Ambassador-At-Large Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore Peggy KEK Former Director of Public Affairs Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) About the Editor 127 About the Series 129

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24 xxiii Foreword by Ambassador ZHANG Yan Executive Director Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) 2016 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) process. Since the 1 st ASEM Summit (ASEM1) held on 1 March 1996 in Bangkok, Thailand, ASEM has evolved into an important forum for high-level political dialogue, aiming at enhancing Asia-Europe relations and promoting interactions and cooperation between the peoples of both regions. Starting with 26 founding partners, ASEM has grown to a bi-regional node today connecting 53 partners, which manifests the vitality and potential of the ASEM process, as well as its appeal to Asian and European countries. Without doubt, the ASEM process has played and will continue to play an irreplaceable role in the efforts to promote peace, stability and prosperity of both Asia and Europe. As the ASEM process ushers in the third decade, it needs to adapt to fast-changing

25 xxiv 20 Years of Asia-Europe Relations international and regional situations, in order to meet multifaceted challenges and the high expectations of ASEM partners. In July 2016, the 11 th ASEM Summit (ASEM11) will take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the outcome of which will represent another milestone in the history of the ASEM process. The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) is the only institution set up by ASEM partners in 1997, with a mandate to promote exchanges and strengthen mutual understanding between the peoples of Asia and Europe. To contribute to the commemoration of ASEM s 20 th Anniversary and to add value to the success of ASEM11, ASEF has taken the initiative to present this special publication entitled 20 Years of Asia-Europe Relations. The book is a collection of essays contributed by eminent political figures and government representatives from ASEM partners, reflecting on ASEM s evolution over the past two decades as well as looking into its future development. I am grateful to all the authors who have spared precious time to share their insights and perspectives about the past, present and future of the ASEM process and the evolution of the Asia-Europe relations. I hope that these essays will help readers understand ASEM better, and learn more about its achievements and strengths, as well as the challenges ahead. I also hope that this publication will enhance the visibility of ASEM among the public, drawing their attention to, support for and participation in this dynamic process.

26 Foreword xxv The past 20 years have been certainly a success for ASEM. Looking ahead, I wish for many more years of success to come!

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28 xxvii Introduction: ASEM at 20 by Peggy KEK Former Director of Public Affairs Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), established in 1996 to deepen relations between the two regions, is an intergovernmental forum, which addresses political, economic and socio-cultural issues of common concern through dialogue and cooperation. The following year, ASEM launched the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) in Singapore to promote greater mutual understanding between Asia and Europe through intellectual, cultural and people-to-people exchanges. ASEM began with 26 founding partners and over a period of 20 years, gradually expanded its partnership to 53 today. Keeping the forum nimble, ASEF remains the only formal institution founded by the grouping after two decades. ASEF has produced this book to commemorate the 20 th

29 xxviii 20 Years of Asia-Europe Relations Anniversary of ASEM, reflecting on its journey over the last two decades and looking forward to its future. The first section of the book, ASEM: New Beginnings, contains two articles. In the opening essay, Mr GOH Chok Tong, Former Prime Minister of Singapore, a founding partner of ASEM, explains how his vision for a new tri-polar world grew out of the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s. This vision underpins the impetus for the launch of ASEM, a proposal for a new institutional link to complete the triangle through closer relations between Asia and Europe to complement the close ties that America already had with the two regions. The opening essay is followed by an article from Mongolia, which joined ASEM in 2008 and is the host of the 11 th ASEM Summit (ASEM11) in 2016 that begins a new decade of engagement for the two regions. Prime Minister of Mongolia, Mr Chimediin SAIKHANBILEG, points to the enlarged partnership of ASEM as an indication of its continuing relevance and highlights the usefulness of its unique informality and openness to free exchange of views. The second section of the book, ASEM: The Future, Building on the Past and Present, contains essays that express partners appreciation for what ASEM has achieved over the last two decades and their aspirations for its future. The essays are arranged in alphabetical order by country.

30 Introduction: ASEM at 20 xxix Several essays in this section mention connectivity. ZENG Peiyan, President of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), posits that connectivity should include a vibrant and open connectivity network that pools talent and resources from all stakeholders. German Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frank-Walter STEINMEIER reflects on the evolution of ASEM, noting changes in the membership and the introduction of new themes into the forum over the years. Looking forward, he observes that connectivity is the name of the game and believes that the challenge for the 21 st century statecraft will be to devise joint solutions for global issues. Indonesian Minister of Education and Culture, Anies BASWEDAN, focuses on education, sharing his country s experiences in raising enrolment rates and pushing lifelong learning for better employment prospects. Former Prime Minister of Italy, Romano PRODI, who was also the President of the European Commission in ASEM s nascent years, urges ASEM to invest its institutional capabilities and diplomatic skills in the New Silk Road project. He welcomes the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank too, noting that successful financing of infrastructure projects could help rising economies to emerge as new poles of growth.

31 xxx 20 Years of Asia-Europe Relations Foreign Minister for Japan, Fumio KISHIDA, advocates tourism as a field, which could increase connectivity but also points out the risks of increased cross-border connectivity such as the spread of infectious diseases. Kazakhstan joined ASEM in 2014 and is one of the newest ASEM partners. Foreign Minister Erlan IDRISSOV spells out the areas in which he believes his country can contribute to the ASEM dialogue, including economic cooperation, global climate change and nuclear energy. KIM Jongdeok, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, underlines the role of cultural understanding not just in adding value to the economy through creative industries but also in building measures and partnerships to help prevent terror attacks. Luxembourg s Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Jean ASSELBORN, believes that connectivity will be the key feature of ASEM s third decade. Observing that connectivity has so far mostly been dealt within regional organisations or at national levels, he suggests that ASEM could create specific-added-value by working across regions. Jet BUSSEMAKER, Minister of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands, makes the case that our economies are becoming more cultural in nature and that the economic and social significance of creativity is growing.

32 Introduction: ASEM at 20 xxxi In her commentary, she stresses the need to revisit the areas of financing and education to support the creative industries. The section is rounded out by an article from Margot WALLSTRÖM, Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs. Recalling the inaugural ASEM Informal Seminar on Human Rights launched by Sweden and France in 1997, she notes many improvements in the world since then. However, she thinks that the world has again become more unpredictable and less secure and believes that the involvement of women is imperative to ensure peace and security. She is confident of continued commitment to the seminar series which is now in its 15 th edition. Many of the writers refer to events organised by ASEF, and it is a resounding endorsement for the only permanent institution set up by ASEM. The third section of the book, entitled ASEM and ASEF, comprises an article written by two management staff from the very first team of ASEF. Ambassador Tommy KOH was the founding Executive Director and I was the first Director of Public Affairs. We reflect on the challenges and opportunities of ASEF then and now and urge the extended ASEM family to put their weight fully behind the organisation. This collection of essays provides insights into a range of themes from economics to education, culture to climate change, and is a true reflection of the breadth and depth of issues that

33 xxxii 20 Years of Asia-Europe Relations engage ASEM partners. The usefulness of the ASEM process as a forum for dialogue and platform for collaboration comes through clearly. The essays provide not only reflections on the history of ASEM but also expressions of hope for its future on the eve of its 21 st year.

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36 ASEM: NEW BEGINNINGS

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