Towards an Asia Pacific Community

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PDFTowards an Asia Pacific Community

26 November 2009"The choice is whether we seek actively to shape the future of our wider region... by building the regional architecture we need for the future... or whether instead we will adopt a passive approach - where we simply wait and see what evolves." The Hon Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, May 2009.

In the latest Asialink Essay, distinguished Australian diplomat and special envoy, Richard Woolcott AC, outlines the aims of Prime Minister Rudd's Asia Pacific community concept ahead of an international conference in Sydney in December 2009.
 
In the 20th century the world's centre of strategic weight moved from Europe to the United States. In the 21st century it will move to the Asia Pacific region. The economies of the Asia Pacific are already 54 per cent of global production and 44 per cent of global trade. This transfer of wealth will continue into the foreseeable future. The region already has the world's five largest militaries - the US, Russia, China, India, and North Korea - each with nuclear weapons.

Publication typeDiscussion paper
Publisher TypeAPO Member, Think tank
CoverageAustralia
Permanent URLhttp://apo.org.au/node/19810
Views1871

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