By Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel
THE Middle East crisis cast a shadow over a diplomatic gathering in Southeast Asia on Tuesday, where foreign ministers voiced serious concern over renewed hostilities that add to uncertainty in a region grappling to manage tensions and conflicts of its own.
Foreign ministers from the 11-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and major partners have meetings in Manila this week against a backdrop of instability since the US and Iran resumed open conflict, raising fears about energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as inflation and global growth.
Risks have increased in recent days, with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis announcing a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, opening a potential new front in the conflict and raising the threat to global energy supplies and trade beyond the Gulf.
“We are deeply concerned that these developments severely undermine the ongoing efforts of key mediators and diminish the prospects for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy,” the ministers said in a statement after a closed-door meeting.
Southeast Asia, a major oil importer with a combined gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion, is highly exposed to the supply crunch and has sought to fast-track an ASEAN oil-sharing mechanism to mitigate the impact.
ASEAN has no shortage of challenges closer to home and was set to hold a consultation on the conflict in Myanmar on Tuesday, as the bloc’s peace initiative falters five years after a military coup that plunged the country into a civil war that has killed about 100,000 people.
RUBIO TAKES AIM AT BEIJING
Officials are also likely to discuss tensions in the South China Sea, with ASEAN and China still trying to conclude a Code of Conduct (CoC) to prevent disputes from escalating after nearly 10 years.
Ahead of the gathering, the US accused China’s Coast Guard personnel of aggressively striking a Philippine Navy sailor on the head with a baton near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on Monday.
China’s Coast Guard called that “false” and Beijing on Tuesday said it had summoned the Philippine ambassador.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will join the ASEAN-led meeting in the days ahead and could meet on the sidelines. Also attending will be India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Russia, Britain and the European Union, among others.
Without naming China, Mr. Rubio took a swipe at Beijing in an opinion piece published in Philippine newspapers on his arrival in Manila on Tuesday, reaffirming US commitment to freedom of navigation, but warning such freedom was “by no means guaranteed.”
“If those waters fall under the control of a power willing to use commerce as a geopolitical weapon, both the United States and the ASEAN states would face dire new threats to their sovereignty, security and economic futures,” Mr. Rubio said in the piece.
China does not recognize the arbitration ruling, which went in favor of the Philippines.
Analysts said regional security issues surrounding the South China Sea should be among the focal points of the Philippine-hosted ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
“The West Philippine Sea should remain a central agenda item because it is not merely a bilateral concern but a regional issue affecting maritime security, freedom of navigation, regional stability and respect for international law,” Ederson DT. Tapia, a political science professor at the University of Makati, said via Facebook Messenger.
He said tensions in the South China Sea extend beyond Manila and Beijing, adding that advancing negotiations on a CoC should remain one of the Philippines’ priorities as ASEAN chair.
ASEAN and China have been negotiating a South China Sea CoC since 2002 to manage maritime disputes, but talks have repeatedly stalled because of political and strategic differences.
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Dominic Xavier M. Imperial, who also serves as ASEAN spokesperson, on Monday said Mr. Wang would meet Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro.
“This engagement is very important because not only will it address bilateral relations between the Philippines and China, but it also has something to do with the regional impact of what’s happening globally,” Mr. Imperial said at a July 20 briefing.
Ms. Lazaro called for closer cooperation between ASEAN and its dialogue partners to preserve regional stability.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Lazaro highlighted the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, which marked its 50th anniversary in February, as the foundation of ASEAN’s commitment to mutual respect for sovereignty and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
“These time-tested norms remain the bedrock of our regional stability, ensuring our code of conduct stands strong against shifting global winds,” she said. “We must continue this journey together, because cooperation is no longer a choice; it is a strategic necessity.”
Francis M. Esteban, associate dean at the Far Eastern University Institute of Arts and Sciences, said Manila should place the South China Sea at the center of discussions.
“Our position in the South China Sea should be on center stage,” he said via Messenger. “This not only reinforces our claims, but also reflects our respect for a rules-based international order.”
He added that hosting the meetings gives the Philippines an opportunity to shape discussions in line with its interests and strengthen its standing as a middle power.
Hansley A. Juliano, a political science instructor at the Ateneo de Manila University, said the Philippines could use its position to bridge the interests of bigger and smaller economies in the region while promoting energy security and economic partnerships.
“More consistent industrialization partnerships and alliances will help smaller ASEAN economies catch up while allowing others to diversify away from traditional partners,” he said via Messenger.
He added that one of Manila’s biggest challenges as ASEAN chairman is keeping a united regional position on security, economic and energy issues.
“Our more recent tussle with China highlights to ASEAN member states the value of being more tied to ASEAN, as well as recalibrating any hedging considerations or options they may have,” Mr. Juliano said.
“Hosting ASEAN meetings is not simply about logistics,” Mr. Tapia said. “It is about managing differences among major powers while preserving ASEAN centrality.”
“The challenge is to facilitate meaningful dialogue without allowing the forum to be dominated by rivalry among external powers,” he added. — with Reuters
