Different Versions of Interregionalism and Asem’S Multilateral Utility for Global Governance

Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was founded in 1996 to be “a useful process for promoting further cooperation between Asia and Europe” in the fields of political dialogue, economic cooperation, and other areas such as cultural communication and social development.’ However, ASEM’s significance has never been limited to Asia and Europe. Actually, the founding fathers of ASEM had greater ambitions at the global level, arguing that “this partnership aims at strengthening links between Asia and Europe thereby contributing to peace, global stability and prosperity.“2 With the development of the ASEM process, more and more global issues appeared on the agendas of Asian and European political leaders and in various chairman’s statements and declarations, as well as follow-ups. However, it is still controversial whether and to what extent ASEM performed as an efficient and effective regime in that field.3 Researchers often focused on the forum itself, for example, the level of institutionalization, while seldom paid enough attention to its actors. Could we imagine that ASEM would maximize its multilateral utility for global governance without the common endeavor of those great powers from both Europe and Asia?