DIMAS MUHAMAD AND NIWA RAHMAD DWITAMA
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| Flags from the 10 member nations of Asean on a street in Jakarta where the Asean headquarters are located. WikiCommons |
In the 45th anniversary of Asean, Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia said “although the Asean member states still have some differences on some issues, I believe that we shall strongly commit ourselves to move ahead as one united organization,” and so they did move ahead as one united organization a few days ago in the 49thAsean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) in Vientiane, Laos.
When some of Asean’s detractors gleefully bet that Asean would splinter over the South China Sea, Asean foreign ministers proved them wrong by hammering out a joint communiqué at the end of the AMM.
We should bear in mind that the communiqué is a 31-page document encompassing more than 50 pertinent regional issues, from maritime cooperation to migrant workers, and South China Sea is only one issue among many. Asean unity should not only hinge upon differences among member states on a single matter.
That being said, eventually Asean managed to clinch the deal even on the contentious issue of the South China Sea, which was incorporated into the final joint communique.
Not everyone was happy with the communiqué. The international press was quick to decry the absence of the landmark Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling in the communique.
Those who subscribe to such views fail to comprehend the nature of Asean. As a regional organization that cherishes unanimity, when there is a fervent disagreement among its members, Asean cannot blatantly ignore the divergent positions of the members. We cannot expect Asean to be something it is not.
However, we should not gloss over the fact that notwithstanding the omission of the PCA ruling, the joint communique still upholds the essence of the ruling, namely the respect for international law including UNCLOS. Moreover, the joint communique itself offered practical measures to defuse tension such as the establishment of MFA-to-MFA hotlines and the adoption of the joint statement on the observance of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES).
Amidst the purported internal discord in the meeting, Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, convened Asean foreign ministers in an informal meeting ahead of the AMM plenary to build trust and forge common ground among the members. With such initiative Asean also adopted a standalone “Joint Statement of ASEAN Member States on the Maintenance of Peace, Security and Stability” in the region, which reaffirms strong adherence of the countries to the fundamental norms and principles that govern a peaceful region of Asean since its inception.
In order to adopt the communique and the joint statement on the maintenance of peace, security and stability, Asean foreign ministers fought tooth and nail to be on the same page. The reason for that is crystal clear – Asean matters tremendously for all the member states. Asean member states have robust partnerships and interdependence, which is further cemented by the establishment of the Asean Community.
It is reflected, for instance, by the fact that intra-Asean trade in 2015 stood at a staggering $545 billion, larger than Asean trade with any other country including China, and is still even larger than the Asean trade with the EU and US combined.
We can also see the same pattern in individual member states. For example, almost one quarter of Cambodia’s trade is with other Asean members, whose value is larger than its trade with many other countries including China. With this paramount interdependence, Asean members know that they cannot let their differences jeopardize Asean cohesion.
Asean unity is vital because if it is plagued by schism, major players would be emboldened to meddle in the regional affairs and eventually Asean would be nothing but pawns for key players. If that happens, Asean would be the arena for power projection of the big powers which would escalate hostility. Only with unity can Asean be the guardian of peace in its abode and the captain of its own ship.
As the British exit (Brexit) has taken the world by surprise, it sends an important signal to all regional groupings including Asean that it is of utmost importance for them to safeguard their cohesion. Even though it is an onerous task, the 49th AMM shows that the member states can speak with one voice on the South China Sea and remain united in projecting the vision of a peaceful Southeast Asia.
Asean unity should not come at the expense of any other external party. By adopting a communiqué which calls for self-restraint, peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for international law, Asean strives for stability in the region and beyond. It demonstrates that Asean members do not have to pick between maintaining their special relationship with Asean and advancing their cooperation with other parties.
PM Hun Sen once said that Asean should “remain united as a cohesive family.” Just like any other family, Asean members sometimes have quarrels. Nevertheless, at the end of the day, Asean managed to focus on what binds them together instead of what sets them apart, doing so just like any other family.
The authors work for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the views expressed are their own.
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