ASEAN Enhances Defense Perspective

ASEAN is currently refining its defense initiatives to complement its perspective on the Indo-Pacific region. This document is a strategic joint guideline for maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

ASEAN leaders who attended the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, wore woven clothes with manuk eyes motifs, a typical West Manggarai motif in Labuan Bajo Bay on Thursday (11/5/2023).

WEST MANGGARAI, KOMPAS - The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) is a regional architecture initiative that places ASEAN at the center of the concept. Adopted at the 34th ASEAN Summit in Thailand in 2019, the AOIP serves as a guideline for ASEAN's engagement in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.

The 42nd ASEAN Summit took place in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on 10-11 May, 2023. The summit's agenda included a discussion of the AOIP. Indonesia's 2023 ASEAN chairmanship statement, which was released on 11 May 2023, contains 125 points that summarize the entire agenda of the Summit. Four of these points, namely points 29-32, discuss the AOIP.

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Point 32 states, "We appreciate the work of the ongoing ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) in drafting a concept paper on the implementation of the AOIP from a defense perspective. This aims to develop ASEAN's central and strategic role in addressing common security challenges in the region while strengthening ASEAN's engagement with external partners to promote mechanisms to build confidence. We look forward to the adoption of the paper and its implementation."

The ADMM is the highest forum for defense consultation and cooperation within ASEAN.

Great ASEAN

In a press conference following the ASEAN Summit, the 2023 ASEAN chair President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo stated that Indonesia wanted to see a great ASEAN that is able to face challenges, is responsive to dynamics, and remains central to the region. "Therefore, yesterday [Wednesday], I invited the leaders to sail together on a Pinisi boat to create a relaxed and familial atmosphere because ASEAN is one family. Its ties are very strong, its unity is very important, to sail toward the same goal, to make ASEAN the epicenter of growth and the region peaceful, stable and prosperous," said the President.

Separately, Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi told Kompas that with the increasing rivalry in the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN leaders stated that the implementation of the AOIP has become more important than ever. The implementation of this initiative uses a paradigm of cooperation, inclusivity and concreteness.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

President Joko Widodo delivers a speech at the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) meeting on the sidelines of the 42nd ASEAN Summit at a hotel in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Thursday (11/ 5/2023).

When adopted at the 34th ASEAN Summit in Thailand in 2019, the AOIP mentioned the word "security" in a limited sense, with a focus on maritime security. Meanwhile, the word "defense" was only mentioned once, in reference to strengthening the role of the ADMM.

On 15 June 2021, the ASEAN defense ministers' meeting released a discussion paper on the AOIP from a defense perspective. It contains six principles.

One principle states that any form of defense cooperation between ASEAN and other countries must go through a consensus from all 10 ASEAN member states for the sake of regional security and stability. Another principle is that ASEAN should be the primary reason for the ADMM's interaction with ASEAN's partners.

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The challenge is that the principle of defense cooperation only regulates ASEAN's communal cooperation with its partners. Defense cooperation between each ASEAN member state and parties outside ASEAN is not regulated by it. In ASEAN, there is a principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of each member.

This becomes complex and poses risks to ASEAN when the rivalry between the United States and its allies against China escalates. Each party is trying to draw ASEAN countries into its sphere of influence so that ASEAN can be polarized. The dynamics occur on various fronts, not only in the economy but also in the military. So far, some ASEAN members have had defense and security cooperation with several countries outside the region.

This article was translated by Tenggara Strategics.