Indonesia warned Asean today against getting dragged into the rivalries between big powers.
The Asean chair said this as leaders gathered for a summit seeking to dispel worry about rifts over peace efforts in Myanmar and to reaffirm the relevance of the disparate group.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo called on Asean to devise a “long-term tactical strategy that is relevant and meets people’s expectations”.
“Asean has agreed to not be a proxy to any power. Don’t turn our ship into an arena for destructive rivalry,” said Widodo.
Founded at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s to oppose the spread of communism, the politically diverse group prioritises unity and non-interference in members’ internal affairs.
But critics said this has limited its scope for action when it comes to handling issues like fellow member Myanmar, where violence rages two years after the military seized power in a 2021 coup.
Asean has banned Myanmar’s military leaders from its high-level meetings but differences have emerged with Indonesia attempting to engage all sides to push an Asean peace plan and Thailand trying to engage Myanmar’s military leaders.
Malaysia called yesterday for “strong” measures against the generals, saying they have created “obstacles” to the Asean peace plan.
Reassert relevance
Former Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said the bloc must adapt to challenges or risk oblivion.
China and its sharpening rivalry with the United States loomed over the meeting.
Some Asean members have focused on developing close diplomatic, business and military ties with Beijing while others are more wary.
The summit comes days after China released a “10-dash line” map, illustrating its claim to an extensive portion of the South China Sea that will likely add urgency to negotiations on a long-delayed code of conduct in the strategic waterway.
Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines, which have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, have rejected China’s map.
Later this week, Asean leaders will hold an East Asia summit that includes China, India, Japan, Russia and the United States.
Adding to unease about Asean’s relevance, US President Joe Biden is not attending the talks. Vice-President Kamala Harris will be present in his place, while China Premier Li Qiang will also attend.
-Reuters
