Letters | As US-China trade war escalates, Asean must stand united to prevent march towards new iron curtain
- Asean member states are being wooed by both China and the US. At the bloc’s 34th summit in Bangkok, a statement opposing the march towards a new cold war would be helpful
Hence the summit takes on greater significance. It is an opportunity for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to demonstrate its relevance amid this climate of mistrust between China and the US that threatens to affect the world.
Asean has been divided within itself for years as the US and China tussled for influence. This division has prevented member states from coming together as one bloc in the face of important international developments, to its own detriment.
This infuriated countries like Vietnam, which is known to have grave reservations over Chinese expansionism in the South China Sea. The development has laid the groundwork for a deep split within Asean that threatens to undermine the relevance and effectiveness of the bloc.
Now, with rising tensions between China and US, it is time for Asean to unite and present itself as a rational voice on this matter. At this summit, Asean should release a joint statement calling on the US and China to resolve the dispute amicably.
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Asean must come together as one bloc and pull its weight on the US-China trade war to prevent the worst-case scenario from being realised. In the coming days, China and the US are bound to try to influence individual Asean member states to side with them. I hope the member states will reject such manipulation and stand firmly together to oppose the world’s march towards a new iron curtain.
Maa Zhi Hong, Singapore