Ways towards a peaceful and sustainable use of natural resources in Asia - Regional Programme Energy Security and Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific
Event Reports
The quickly growing population and economy as well as the rising wealth of the society in numerous Asian states cause rapidly increasing stress on food, energy and natural resources. Indeed, most countries cannot meet these demands with their own resources. In the context of their political orientation towards economic growth, these countries raise claims on (potential) resources in internationally disputed territories and marine areas without clearly defined borderlines. Furthermore, some nations significantly influence on the distribution of resources in neighbouring countries through investment and land leasing. Crossborder river systems constitute another source of conflicts, because the up-stream use of water or hydropower has enormous impacts on the hydrological situation in lower river countries, i.e. along the Mekong river.
Thus, the relations between many countries in Asia are burdened with disagreements about the acess to and use of natural resources. Such tensions can quickly turn into diplomatic or even military conflicts – a significant obstacle for development and an enormous security threat for the region. Therefore, the political agenda of the concerned countries has to reach out towards an intraregional cooperative resource policy. However, the causes, developments and interdependencies of the various conflict spots are very complex.
On invitation by KAS and the London based think tank, Chatham House, almost twenty academics from eight Asian countries, Europe, Australia and the US came to Hong Kong in order to discuss the dynamics of geopolitical developments in Asia in the light of numerous case studies.
In his inaugural speech, Karsten Tietz, Acting Consul General of Germany in Hong Kong, drew parallels between the current development in Asia and the situation in Europe before World War I. At the peak of colonialism, countries in the Western world enforced their interests and intensified resource-related conflicts, which led to the catastrophy of two World Wars. On this background, the United Nations and the European Coal and Steel Community, a predecessor of the EU, were founded as plattforms for peaceful cooperation. Therefor, instead of strengthening geopolitical tensions through exclusively focusing on a narrow minded national development, states should establish joint security structures and mechanisms of cooperation.
The four sessions of the workshop approached the set of problems from different points of view. The first part dealt with different theories on geopolitics and provided an overview of the current developments in Asia. In the following two sessions, the participants focused on the most important geopolitical conflicts in the region. Fishery in disputed territories, such as the South China Sea, was the first topic. The following presentations dealt with concepts of the joint use of resources along international rivers. The Indus - for example - is of great importance for Pakistan, but its headwater streams are on Indian territory. Although the relation between the two countries is stressed not least due to the unsolved question of sovereignty on the Kashmir, the cooperation in water management functions well. On its course through Southeast Asia, the Mekong runs through six countries. China has already build numerous hydro dams in the upper stream. Lao, located at the middle part of the river, is planning several large hydropower stations. This can lead to severe impacts on Cambodia and the delta of the Mekong in Vietnam. The latter is also threatened by inundation through rising sea levels. The participants of the workshop discussed ways of finding solutions coherent with the interest of all countries in the context of existing partnerships such as the Mekong River Commission.
In Central Asia, the interests of numerous global players – Europe, Russia, China and India – collide. Two presentations of the workshop dealt with the Chinese engagement in Kazakhstan and the competition with Russian activities. In Kazakhstan, the civil society strongly opposite against the settlement and use of fertile land by Chinese investors. Russia and China are competing in the field of economic politics. Although both players have their distinct interests in Central Asia and Russia’s traditionally strong influence on the region is increasingly restricted by China’s activities, the countries officially cooperate in building the access to fossil resources in the region. The case of Myanmar shows that conflicts on the access to resources can also emerge without external influence. Militant groups of ethnic minorities fight against the degradation of their habitat by the mining activities of the central government and stand for the opinion that they are entitled to use local resources. As Chinese investors get increasingly active in Myanmar, this problem also gains an international momentum.
The fourth session used approaches of political science to elaborate potential concepts for integrative geopolitics in Asia which is based on mutual trust and support.
In the final discussion, the experts elaborated concrete solutions and recommendations. It turned out that a lack of knowledge and trust has to be overcome. Strengthening intraregional fora like ASEAN is a key for supporting mechanisms for dialogue, exchange and consensus finding.
The results of the presentations and discussions will be published soon in a new report by Chatham House.
