THE CONCEPT OF A FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC REGION: THE COMMON GROUND IN A VARIETY OF INTERPRETATIONS
Original article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24866/1813-3274/2021-4/111-131Keywords:
international relations, regionalism, Indo-Pacific region, Free and open Indo-Pacific region, security, economic cooperation, integration, connectedness, USA, Japan, India, Australia, China.Abstract
The Indo-Pacific Region (IPR) is increasingly becoming one of the popular concepts used to characterize and describe new trends in modern world politics. As a geographical term, it is intended to outline the boundaries of the emerging integration space. In terms of content, it is represented by numerous variations of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) region, reflecting the vision of the region by different actors. These visions do not always coincide in everything. In this regard, the issue of the presence of common features that allows, with all the differences in national interpretations, to speak about the presence / formation of an agreed substantive core of the FOIP idea, becomes relevant. First, this concerns the four main actors – the United States, Japan, Australia, and India – as initiators and most consistent proponents of the Indo-Pacific concept. Comparison of their approaches has already allowed us to speak of at least three main pillars of the emerging single concept of FOIP, which are (a) ensuring peace and stability; (b) asserting and defending fundamental values; and (c) intensifying cooperation and promoting economic development. This study begins with an introduction, which contains a brief substantiation of the importance of differentiating IPR as a geographic concept and a meaningful concept. The main part of the study is devoted to analysing the practice of current regional interactions of key actors and assessing the prospects for the formation of a common coordinated strategy. In conclusion, it is noted that despite the differences in interpretations of the geographic framework of the IPR, there is every reason to talk about emerging of a new coordinated geopolitical understanding of it represented by the formula "Free and Open Indo-Pacific Region (FOIP)".
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