Asean reaffirms neutrality, sustainability, unity amid global uncertainty
Speaking at the 58th Asean Day Celebration, held under the theme "Toward an Inclusive and Sustainable Asean Future" at the Asean Secretariat Office in Jakarta, Kao emphasised that Asean's principled neutrality and commitment to dialogue can serve as a stabilising force in a volatile world.
"In uncertain times, we must remain a steady and stabilising force, offering space for honest dialogue, practical cooperation and principled neutrality, where differences can be bridged and solutions be found," he said.
"Even amid tensions close to home, we are guided by the belief that diplomacy and dialogue pave the way to a lasting peace," Kao noted.
He said that beyond geopolitics, the region faces urgent environmental challenges. Climate change, natural disasters, and resource scarcity are already profoundly affecting Asean countries.
In response, Asean is advancing several major initiatives, including long-standing cooperation on transboundary haze, the establishment of the Asean Centre for Climate Change in Brunei Darussalam, efforts to build a regional power grid known as the Asean Power Grid, and accelerating a renewable energy transition.
"These reflect a growing resolve to confront the climate crisis together. Sustainability also encompasses economic resilience, diversifying supply chains, enhancing food and energy security, and building smart, green infrastructure that will support future generations," he said.
"Asean can not afford to treat sustainability as an abstract ideal or a future concern. It must be a concrete, urgent strategy embedded in everything we do," he added.
Representing President Prabowo Subianto at the celebration, Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono reiterated Indonesia's commitment to strengthen Asean as a peaceful, resilient, innovative, and people-oriented region.
He said that unity is key to Asean's strength amid current geopolitical rivalries, stressing that disputes must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. - Xinhua
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Asean reaffirms neutrality, sustainability, and unity amid global uncertainty
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'Countries like China where saving rates are too high should step in and provide that impetus. If they did, we would see a regionalisation of trade flows as they move away from the US. But before we get there, there will be pain,' he said. Since Trump returned to the White House in January, Beijing has ramped up its charm offensive to South-East Asia, a region that is now a priority for China's neighbourhood diplomacy to offset its own pressure from the US. In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, and in May, Chinese Premier Li Qiang also paid an official visit in Indonesia and Malaysia. Beijing also rolled out red carpet for Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in June, when Xi urged Singapore to join China on 'right side of history' and to promote an 'equal multipolar world'. City University of Hong Kong professor Julien Chaisse noted that China's most attractive feature at the moment was its sense of certainty – something Beijing was deliberately projecting to strengthen its long-term appeal to Asean. 'China is quietly positioning itself as the more predictable option. It is not offering perfection, but it is offering clarity ... And that is exactly the kind of language that appeals to Asean leaders who are trying to shield their economies from policy shocks,' Chaisse said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. And while Southeast Asian countries had been 'cautious by nature' about taking sides between China and the US, there was a limit. 'If one partner keeps disrupting the system while the other offers to support it, the choice starts to become less about politics and more about survival,' he said. However, there is no sign that Asean is about to give up its neutrality, according to Dylan Loh, assistant professor in the Public Policy and Global Affairs Programme at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. 'US tariff pressure does present an opportunity for China to strengthen its economic ties in the region, insofar as China is positioning itself as a reliable partner through trade agreements and investment. That said, this alone will not portend any major shift or alignment with China – we do not see clear evidence of this,' Loh said. He said countries in the region continue with 'a mix of hedging, balancing, deeper Asean integration, and diversification of their ties [with other countries] while maintaining their relationship with the US and China as best as possible'. Still, countries in the region will have to take the semiconductor tariff pain, at least for now, according to Xu Tianchen, senior China economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit. 'There is no doubt that Southeast Asia will be the first in line to be affected. If Trump expands tariffs to consumer goods such as mobile phones containing foreign chips, the impact will be even greater. This is because Southeast Asia is an important production base for consumer electronics,' Xu said. Like China, South-East Asia's position in the global semiconductor industry is largely cemented by its strength in cost-efficient operations, with very limited access to advanced-node processor chips. The 100 per cent US tariffs would erode its edge for China as a low-tariff launch pad for chip exports to the US. 'China was selling low-end semiconductors elsewhere, but in a way, packing in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia. Now, it would not be able to do that with the 100 per cent tariffs,' said Alicia García-Herrero, chief economist for Asia-Pacific at French investment bank Natixis. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
