Non-traditional Security Cooperation and the Development of a Northeast Asian Security Community: An Appraisal of Sino-Japanese-Korean Cooperation in Environmental Security

　　Abstract: As the prominence of non-traditional security threats has increased following the end of the Cold War, to a certain extent the “zero sum game” contextualization of traditional security relations between states in Northeast Asia has changed. A collective response to nontraditional security issues is positive in terms of building a collective regional identity, and has created a desire for collaborative problem solving, pushing progress in developing a stable framework for cooperation. The history of environmental cooperation between South Korea, China and Japan demonstrates that to an extent a Northeast Asian Security Community has already emerged. As economic and social development progresses, not only will views on security and with respect to regional integration change, so will the relationship between national interests, regional interests and social interests. For this reason, we take a positive view of integration within Northeast Asia.

　　Author: Jin Chunzhu, Professor of the University of Marine Officers of the Republic of Korea；

　　Han Xiandong, Associate Professor of the School of Political Science and Public Administration of the China University of Law and Politics