Panel IV Asia and

Chair: Wei-Chiao Huang, Professor Department of Economics, WMU

Taiwan and the U.S. Pivot to Asia

Presenter: Yuan-kang Wang, Associate Professor Department of Sociology, WMU Email: [email protected]

Abstract: As the world’s strategic weight shifts to Asia, the United States is implementing a “pivot” strategy that seeks to rebalance its military, economic, and diplomatic resources around the world and devote more to Asia. Washington is strengthening alliance with Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Australia and is deepening economic engagement with allies and partners. By doing so, American leaders seek to preserve U.S. geopolitical advantage in the context of China’s rise. What is Taiwan’s role in America’s pivot toward Asia? This paper will examine the background for the pivot strategy and its implementation, analyze the security dilemma between the United States and China, discuss Taiwan’s geostrategic location and the need for global economic competitiveness, and consider the role of convergent interests in the security triangle and the issue of sovereignty in the political triangle. I argue that Taiwan’s geostrategic location makes it an integral part of America’s Asia strategy that seeks to maintain a balance of power in the region. Although there have been moderate progress in the security triangle since 2008, the political triangle remains exclusive and handicapped by the issue of sovereignty. Without an innovative conception of sovereignty that is mutually acceptable across the Taiwan Strait, the existing thaw in the security triangle will remain fragile and even ephemeral.

Key words: Asia Pivot, Rebalancing, Taiwan, US Foreign Policy

Exploring the Place and Role of Chinese Music in Southern Vietnamese Traditional Music

Presenter: Alexander M. Cannon, Assistant Professor School of Music, WMU Email: [email protected]

Abstract: The myth that Vietnamese traditional music is simply a version of Chinese traditional music has been debunked by scholarship inside and outside of Vietnam since the 1960s; however, the role of Chinese music in contemporary Vietnamese traditional music performance is not as well understood. Ethnomusicologist Le Tuan Hung argues that Vietnamese musicians in the early twentieth century embraced Chinese musical aesthetics and techniques as an antidote to French colonial influence; for example, performers of don ca tai tu, a “music for diversion” in southern Vietnam, used the Guangdong nuance (hoi Quang) to flavor the standard repertoire. In the contemporary period, musicians still use certain Chinese musical signs; musicians of don ca tai tu and cai luong, a kind of renovated theatre from southern Vietnam, inject short and playful Chinese tunes into longer performances oftentimes eliciting laughter from audiences. More recently, Vietnamese musicians build alliances with Chinese musicians during pan-Asian zither festivals and adopt Chinese playing techniques through the study of online videos. This lecture investigates the reasons why musicians continue to invoke Chinese musical signs in diverse ways in Vietnamese traditional music. For some, deploying Chinese characteristics is simply humorous; for others, recognizing Chinese influence accentuates the musical distinctions between Chinese and Vietnamese music. A small number of musicians even argue that adopting specific Chinese techniques helps Vietnamese musicians build a music better representative of the Vietnamese “soul.” Chinese music is deployed, therefore, in diverse ways as an effective interlocutor as musicians seek to sustain Vietnamese traditional music.

This presentation grows out of my current research on the changing of southern Vietnamese traditional music in the past ten years. I propose speaking for twenty minutes about this topic and then answering questions for a further ten minutes.

Key words: Vietnam, China, music, tradition, identity

From Globalization Waves and Western to Global Civilization

Presenter: Andrew Targowski, Professor Department of Business Systems, WMU Email: [email protected]

Abstract: At the dawn of the 21st century, the IVth Wave of Globalization has been transforming Western Civilization into Global Civilization, since Christianity has been replaced by a Global Religion (under the form of business religion), Global Information and Transportation Infrastructures became very popular solution to globally communicating ideas and decisions as well as moving materials, goods, and people. Eventually the Global Society became a visible, strong entity developing Global Culture as distinctive similar patterns of behavior practiced around the world. This transformation is reflected quite visibly in rising huge financial inequality among globally specialized businessmen and workers (without college degrees) in the Western Society who are structurally unemployed and have a little chance to be re- employed unless they will get good professional degree. In the U.S. out of 155 million members of the labor force, about 120 million are at risk in sustaining their American Dream. Furthermore their plight supposedly is their fault. Global Civilization is of integrative and horizontal character, which penetrates autonomous either entirely (like Western Civilization) or partially (like Japanese, Chinese, Eastern or Hindu Civilizations).  So far at the beginning of the 21st century, Western Civilization has been almost transformed into Global Civilization, which is the upper layer upon the lower layer of diminishing, traditional Western Civilization.  Civilization like Japanese and Hindu are modernizing through Westernization, becoming Globalized or Westernized 2.0., but their lower layer is still of their strong traditional civilization character.  Civilization like Chinese (financed through being the World Factory- largest outsourcer) and Eastern (financed through oil export) are modernizing very impressively but refusing being Westernized but are globalized through intensive trade development reaching all corners of the world. Their traditional civilizations act as the second layer of their civilization. The purpose of this investigation is to characterize the impact of Several Waves of Globalization (world-wide reaching flows of goods, money, information, people and so forth in a scope and intensity depending upon the time in the history), which are taking place in the last 500 years upon the world civilization (a complex similarly interactive entity of society, culture and infrastructure in a large frame of territory and time, usually embracing several nations and centuries/millennia). As the result of these waves, the Global Civilization is emerging in the 21st century. Its religion, society and infrastructure will be defined and associated repercussions. It is a very rare case when one can observe the rise of a new civilization during one’s live. However, this is the case of Global Civilization which is replacing Western Civilization during our generations’ time.

Key words: globalization, globalization wave, civilization, western civilization, global civilization, Christianity, global society, global culture, global religion. Where Is Japan Heading in the 21ST Century?

Presenter: Andrew Targowski, Professor Department of Business Information Systems, WMU Email: [email protected]

Abstract: Japan may choose one of the following paths of the development in the 21st century:

 Status quo-acting as if every think were the way it should be, even when it is not and continuing national dis-orientation and dis-comfort with the sclerosis of political system and the chronic power of Japan’s bureaucracy and corporations. This approach will be characterized by supporting the economic growth (higher efficiency, effectiveness, and the labor-free economy, applying robots and (McKinsey & Company 2011) either by tax manipulations (from high to lower and vice-versa) or/and governmental stimulus. In effect it will result in the population growth (regardless of its predicted decline), higher density of population on a limited land, the lowering quality of life, and not excluded wars for resources from overseas? Needless to say that Japan is overcrowded and does not have enough resources to support own population.

 The sustainable Japanese civilization development by the near zero growth of the economy and harmonic development of all class categories; upper, middle, and lower with the reformed role of big capital which should be managed by the principle what is good for the society is good for the business (not vice-versa as it is today) with the particular emphasis on the development of common good and aging society as the highest civilizational achievement not a failure! The purpose of this investigation is to define the sustainable future of the Japanese Civilization and its purpose and proud with respect to the rising Global Civilization in the 21st century. The methodology is based on an interdisciplinary big-picture view of the Japanese and Global Civilizations’ developments and interdependency. Among the findings are: Japanese Civilization has a very good ability to adapt to the leading foreign civilization through westernization and Americanization, however today Japan is overcrowded, does not have natural resources to sustain its population and is in the stage of stagnation and deflation, looking at technology to solve these problems. Practical implication: The Japanese Civilization Index of development is 75% which means that it reached almost the saturation point and the motivation for further development is weak and not sustainable. Social implication: Aging society is not a problem but success and the economic growth won’t solve Japan’s problems but will create new big ones. Originality: This investigation defined a new thinking Japan and its new purpose and proud of the Japanese civilization within the world context.

Key words: Japan, Japanese civilization, Westernization, Americanization, globalization, Global Economy, Global civilization.