(Part II)
MEANWHILE, Szechenyi & Hosoya (2019) claimed that the “region’s balance of power is increasingly contested” with China’s economic and political influence plus its coercive tactics that could undermine principles held dear by Japan, the US, and other countries.
Overall, Southeast Asia’s interests are directed at maintaining the free flow of trade in the region, regional security, ASEAN centrality, and managing healthy international relations.
In Part I of this series, Connelly (2017) mentioned about how ASEAN seeks to multi-lateralize Beijing’s economic engagement with the region which is deemed as a safety net. But how is this done?
Ho (2020) held that the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) are ASEAN-led multilateral mechanisms attracting participants from key countries all over the world. These 3 mechanisms involve the 10 AMS and other countries – the ARF consists of 27 members from various regions while the EAS and ADMM Plus consist of the same 18 member countries. Throughout their establishment, these multilateral mechanisms have achieved the maintenance of regional peace and stability through institutionalized dialogues between leaders and ministers (Ho, 2020).
Formed as early as 1994, the ARF provides an important platform for security dialogue tackling security issues that include the formulation of cooperative measures aimed at improving peace and security in the region (Australian Government, n.d.).
According to its website, the ARF has achieved the following: a) venue for multilateral and bilateral dialogue and consultations adopting decision-making through consensus, non-interference, incremental progress, and moving at a pace comfortable to all – the “ASEAN Way”; b) participants discuss a wide range of security issues in a multilateral setting; c) transparency promoted by measures such as exchange of information relating to defense policy and publication of defense white papers; d) networking developed among national security, defense, and military officials.
Interestingly, ARF sets the following criteria for participation:
a) Commitment: All new participants – all sovereign states, must subscribe to, and work cooperatively to help achieve key goals which means all new participants should agree to abide by and respect prior decisions and statements made by ARF;
b) Relevance: A new participant is admitted only if it has an impact on the peace and security of the “geographical footprint” of key activities (for instance, Northeast and Southeast Asia as well as Oceania);
c) Gradual expansion: Manage the number of participants to ensure the forum’s effectiveness;
d) Consultations: All applications for participation should be submitted to the ARF Chairperson, who will then consult all other ARF participants and ascertain whether a consensus exists for the new participant’s admission while actual decisions on participation will be approved by the Ministers (ASEAN Regional Forum, n.d.).
The current ARF participants include Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, United States, and Viet Nam.
Meanwhile, the ADMM Plus countries include the 10 AMS and 8 Plus countries, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia, and the US. The ADMM Plus aims to promote mutual trust and confidence among defense establishments through dialogue and transparency in the areas of maritime security, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations, and military medicine.
The EAS, on the other hand, is the Indo-Pacific’s premier forum for strategic dialogue (Australian Government, n.d.). The EAS consists of the 10 AMS along with Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, and the US.
According to an Australian government website article, the summit stands out for being the “only ASEAN-led forum” participated by all key partners to “discuss political, security, and economic challenges facing the Indo-Pacific” consequently advancing closer regional cooperation.
These multilateral frameworks and their corresponding mechanisms that ASEAN uses to engage the US and China over the years, mirror our regional commitment and stand to keep our neutrality in the face of the brewing rivalry.
Moving forward, Southeast Asian scholars worry about how “Chinese leaders do not regard their southern neighbors as fully equal sovereign partners” (Connelly, 2017). Time and again, Southeast Asian governments and peoples have witnessed how China uses its military power to assert its expansive claims over the SCS. This is one glaring manifestation of China’s hegemonic behavior. (To be continued)
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Writer can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN
