THE ten member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have always regarded and treated one another with all goodwill and respect, even when they have conflicting claims, such as on certain areas in the South China Sea.
They reiterated this mutual regard for one another at the ASEAN Summit held last week in Bangkok, Thailand. They reaffirmed this basic principle in a “Vision Statement on Partnership for Sustainability” at the Bangkok summit.
In the Vision Statement, the ASEAN leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, security, stability, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. They called anew for self-restraint in their activities in the area, and the adoption of measures such as a Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, Guidelines for Air Military Encounters, Guidelines for Maritime Interaction, and an ASEAN Direct Communications Infrastructure.
They agreed on regional cooperation to combat terrorism and violent extremism, to combat common concerns such as human trafficking, illegal wildlife trade, and illicit drug trafficking. They also agreed to enhance cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, in maritime security, and in cyber security.
They agreed that Southeast Asia will remain free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. They will work together for the effective implementation of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty.
Among themselves, the ten ASEAN nations – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malayia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam – have the fullest confidence that they will be able to deal with any of these problems.
In their relations with China, the ASEAN nations pin their hopes on an agreement on a Code of Conduct (COC) to preserve peace and provide for means to settle any problem arising from any conflicting claims in the South China Sea. The agreement to draw up such a Code of Conduct was signed way back in 2002. In 2017, ASEAN and China agreed on the framework for the proposed code. Negotiations for the final form of the COC continue to this day.
At the ASEAN Bangkok Summit last week, the ASEAN leaders agreed to “work actively towards the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in its entirety and the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.” They have now included in their Vision Statement a call for action on the proposed code.
Originally approved in 2002, 17 years ago, the idea of such a Code of Conduct truly should really now be pursued to its conclusion as an established means to avoid and settle conflicts in the South China Sea.