Asean needs to mature to be able to do more in terms of maritime dispute

New Straits Times

7 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Asean should reflect, reform and adapt to new global realities to be able to do much more especially in maritime disputes, says an academician.
De La Salle University Department of International Studies chair Prof Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby said the bloc has long relied on its ability to bring in major powers, but did not mature beyond the norms established when it was formed in 1967.
"I'm going to use the metaphor of Peter Pan to describe Asean because Asean has prided itself in pulling the great powers in and this is precisely what Asean has done since its establishment in 1967, and more so in the years at the end of the World War.
"But the normative commitments of Asean remain a reflection of the realities of 1967 and less so the realities of 2025," she said
She said Asean appears to hope that the international environment will adjust to its vision, instead of adapting to changing geopolitical dynamics.
"If Asean continues to do this, then it's a very naive way of navigating great power politics," she said.
She was speaking during a plenary session titled "Mapping 'Boundaries': Perspectives of Maritime Security" at the 38th Asia Pacific Roundtable here.
She added that while Asean has done what it could in the South China Sea dispute under its existing commitments, the time has come for deep self-reflection and reform, not only within the Secretariat but also in the principles it upholds.
"If we want Asean to do much more, then Asean also needs to evolve to engage in some form of self-reflection and look at reform, not just the Secretariat, but also the commitments that Asean purports to hold dear," she said.
Meanwhile, East Sea Institute, Vietnam Diplomatic Academy deputy director-general Dr Do Thanh Hai said Asean is both "insufficient and indispensable."
He said while Asean has proven effective in keeping peace among its own members, including managing tensions in the South China Sea.
"Vietnamese and Philippine played volleyball with each other in Santa Fe and in the Spratly together. So we among us, we resolved the dispute with each other. We managed to also have the joint development with Malaysia.
"Asean countries did came at the consensus that we have to resolve the dispute in peace in peaceful way," he said.
University of Wollongong's Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security director Prof Stuart Kaye said Asean should be commended for its cooperation in maritime matters, though its role is often misunderstood.
"I think Asean works best when it's looking at developing regulatory structures or guidelines for its members... Responding to crises, I'm not sure that that's Asean metier," he said.
He added that while expectations should remain realistic, from an external perspective, Asean continues to do "good work."