On Wednesday, October 9th, leaders of the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered in Laos for their annual forum. The main agenda of the meeting will focus on the civil war in Myanmar and the tensions in the South China Sea. The United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, will represent President Biden at the meeting.
Dan Kritenbrink, the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, stated that the U.S.-China relationship is tense, especially with Beijing’s “escalatory and irresponsible” actions in the disputed South China Sea, which will be a major topic for Blinken.
ASEAN will also hold discussions on economic, climate change, and energy issues with other dialogue partners, including Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia. While ASEAN’s influence has been limited historically, the forum has remained a platform for other countries to engage with the region.
The ten ASEAN member countries are Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, and Laos.
During the opening speech, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone of Laos welcomed the new leaders from Thailand and Singapore to the summit, emphasizing mutual assistance and joint efforts in the ASEAN way. He highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation among ASEAN members and other dialogue partners while maintaining the unity and core position of ASEAN.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 38, assumed office as Prime Minister of Thailand in August, making her the youngest leader in the group. Lawrence Wong took over as Prime Minister of Singapore in May following the departure of Lee Hsien Loong.
This is also the first overseas trip for Japan’s new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, who will make an official visit to Laos. During his visit, Ishiba will also meet with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.
For years, ASEAN member countries have been in negotiations with the Chinese authorities regarding a code of conduct in the South China Sea, but progress has been slow.
Vice President Ma’ruf Amin of Indonesia called for the completion of the code of conduct by 2026 and urged senior officials to strengthen direct communication to prevent conflicts in the South China Sea.
China claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea and has been increasingly assertive in enforcing these claims, threatening peace and security in the region.
Incidents of clashes between Chinese and Filipino vessels have occurred several times this year, with Vietnam accusing the Chinese military of attacking its fishermen in disputed areas of the South China Sea. China has also deployed patrol boats to the exclusive economic zones of Indonesia and Malaysia.
Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei, all ASEAN member countries, assert sovereignty over parts of the region.
Since the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, nearly 6,000 people have died, and over 3 million people have been displaced. Less than half of Myanmar’s territory is believed to be under military control.
Aung Kyaw Moe, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, attended the summit on behalf of the Myanmar military government, marking the first high-level representative from Myanmar to attend a summit in three years. Previously, ASEAN had refused to allow representatives from the Myanmar military government to attend the summit at the end of 2021.
Kritenbrink revealed that Blinken is expected to urge ASEAN to continue pressuring Myanmar’s military leaders as the group’s peace plan has shown no progress. The plan calls for a ceasefire and mediation.
The U.S. is concerned about the military government’s plan to hold elections next year, as they are deemed neither representative nor inclusive and may lead to more violence. Kritenbrink stated, “Elections should not be held until there is genuine peace and reconciliation, and we will continue to express this position.”
Thailand will host an informal ministerial consultation of ASEAN on the Myanmar crisis in mid-December, aiming to facilitate peace in Myanmar. However, it is unclear who from Myanmar will attend the meeting.
(This article incorporates information from relevant reports by the Associated Press)