Some Thoughts About the “Core Five” Concept |
In early December, media reports started assuming that there was an idea potentially circulating in the American policymaking circles to form a new cooperation format, the “Core Five”. The group will supposedly embrace the United States, China, India, Russia, and Japan.
Before proceeding to a detailed analysis, it is worth making several preliminary remarks regarding the idea per se.
List of Participants
The proposed composition of participants appears quite representative. It unites five powers that significantly outpace other countries in the region in terms of “Comprehensive National Power,” primarily in terms of national GDP volume.
In this regard, statements questioning the advisability of including Japan in the group are puzzling. Japan’s nominal GDP is more than 60% larger than Russia’s. Furthermore, Japan is the informal leader of the regional trade bloc, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), whose 12 members’ GDP put all together constitutes about 16% of the global GDP. Importantly, from 2025, the United Kingdom will become a fully-fledged member of the CPTPP, which will come as a result of years of effort and support from Japan. Other countries are also seeking to join the association.
As for the “Core Five,” firstly, its composition could be expanded, similar to other international platforms such as the SCO and BRICS. The goal of such a format is not a “re-division of the world,” as some propagandists mistakenly believe, but rather addressing complex and dangerous regional problems.
Therefore, other important IPR countries could and should be involved in the works of the “Core Five,” for example, Australia, Indonesia, and Pakistan, as well as both Koreas. The processes taking place in the IPR have already seen active involvement of extra-regional powers. Among them, there is Brazil, as well as a number of........