vientiane: Southeast Asian leaders gather in the capital laos on Wednesday for an annual regional forum that will focus on tackling the long-running civil war myanmar and regional tensions South China Sea,
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit will also be followed by meetings with global powers including China United States of America And RussiaWho are competing for influence in the region.
The timing of the meetings in Vientiane makes it likely that the talks will also discuss the increase in violence in the Middle East, although Southeast Asia has faced only indirect consequences.
aseanIts influence has historically been limited even among its own members, but the forum often serves as a forum for dialogue among superpowers wishing to engage with the region.
10 member countries of ASEAN – Indonesia, ThailandSingapore, Philippines, vietnamMalaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Laos – will also interact with their dialogue partners from elsewhere in the region – including Japan, South Korea, India and Australia – on topics ranging from the economy to climate change and energy.
This year’s summit will be the first for many new national leaders.
Thailand’s Patongtar Shinawatra, who took over as prime minister in August, emerged as the bloc’s youngest leader at 38. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will represent the country after taking over from Lee Hsien Loong, who stepped down in May after 20 years in office.
Vietnam also has a new leader after President To Lam took office in August, but the country will be represented by its Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
ASEAN’s largest member, President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, is not attending the forum as his successor Prabowo Subianto prepares to take office later this month, and is being replaced by Vice President Maroof Amin.
This will also be the first foreign trip for Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who was confirmed last week.
Thailand’s Patongtarn said on Monday that the Myanmar crisis was an “extremely important issue” that would be raised during the meetings.
Violence and the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar have worsened rapidly since the military in February 2021 suppressed widespread nonviolent protests demanding the ouster of Aung San Suu Kyi and the return of democratic rule.
Myanmar’s junta has agreed to an ASEAN peace plan that calls for a ceasefire and mediation, but it has continued to fight pro-democracy guerrillas and ethnic rebels in a war that has killed some 6,000 people.
Myanmar is expected to send Foreign Ministry Permanent Secretary Aung Kyaw Moe to the summit, its first high-level representative to the summit in three years, since ASEAN stopped sending political representatives in late 2021.
“Allowing a senior diplomat from Myanmar to attend the meetings would be construed as a compromise by ASEAN, confirming concerns that ASEAN is being compromised,” said Lina Alexandra, a senior researcher at Indonesia’s Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Experiencing fatigue in dealing with the crisis.” This, he said, means the chances of any significant breakthrough in the crisis are slim.
There is also likely to be greater discussion over maritime territorial disputes between ASEAN member states and China in the South China Sea, one of the world’s most important waterways for trade.
Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei all make overlapping claims with China, which claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and has become increasingly aggressive in efforts to enforce them. Indonesia has also expressed concern over what it sees as Beijing’s encroachment on its exclusive economic zone.
Tensions between the Philippines and China have escalated this year, with Chinese forces using powerful water cannons and dangerous blockade maneuvers to prevent food and other supplies from reaching Filipino navy personnel involved in claiming a small atoll.
Despite an agreement in July to end the confrontation, tensions rose again in August after ships from both counties collided, with each side accusing the other of deliberately causing the confrontation. The Philippines, a longtime US ally, has criticized other ASEAN countries for not doing more to push China back from its increasingly aggressive stances.
Last week, Vietnam alleged that Chinese forces attacked 10 of its fishermen with iron bars, damaged their gear and snatched their catch off the disputed Paracel Islands, calling it a serious violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty.
Singapore’s S. Muhammad Faisal Abdul Rahman, research fellow at the Rajaratnam School, said that while members are likely to focus on the disputes at the forum, clear outcomes are less likely as those not in direct conflict with China are more likely to focus on relations with Beijing. Will give priority. of International Studies.
“Priority remains in avoiding conflict while achieving geostrategic advantage where possible,” he said. “In fact, national interests matter more than regional interests.”
