並列摘要
In general, politicians and scholars alike are very pessimistic about the possibility of using APEC as a framework for anything other than economic purposes. However, a few scholars believe that APEC has played a significant role in enhancing regional security and stability. Many believe that a great sense of regional cooperation and understanding has been created through APEC’s regularized style of regional diplomacy. Others also argue that APEC has helped to create a more confident region and has, on an informal basis, provided a model for the development of other security cooperation institutes in the region. This paper examines many potential links between APEC and different security issues, including the possibility of using APEC as basis for a security framework. The central contention is that the relationship between APEC and regional security is complex, with no single theory that explains this relationship. However, APEC remains a hope for long-term security cooperation in the region. Its future contribution depends on its capacity to overcome the regional financial crisis.