Opinion | Asean can no longer afford to be subtle over the South China Sea
- The bloc needs to unambiguously and collectively articulate its concerns on the disputed waterway, whether it names and shames Beijing or otherwise
- With nuance over the sea showing no signs of ameliorating China, Asean must present a united front – or it risks sliding into irrelevance
While much credit for this ought to go to Vietnam’s stewardship in its capacity as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ chair, it is by no means radically new, beyond a stronger emphasis on what has customarily been incorporated in past statements – in particular, to “pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 Unclos”.
While observers either rejoice in the statement or agonise over whether it is stronger than in previous years, one should recall that we have been through this stage before.
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Philippine officials unveil beaching ramp on disputed South China Sea island
The chairman’s statement from the 32nd Asean Summit in April 2018 included the mention that “land reclamations and activities in the area … have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region” – which was touted by some commentators back then as the “strongest” stance on the dispute so far.