Australia Announces Strategic Pact With Asean

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The Malaysian delegation, including Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, listening to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speak during the summit today. (Bernama pic)BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Australia and Asean agreed at a summit today to establish a “comprehensive strategic partnership”, a sign of Canberra’s ambition to play a bigger role in the region.
The pact will further strengthen Australia’s diplomatic and security ties in a fast-growing region that has become a strategic battleground between the US and China.
While strategic objectives of the partnership were not immediately announced, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised that his country would “back it with substance”.
“This milestone underscores Australia’s commitment to Asean’s central role in the Indo-Pacific and positions our partnership for the future,” he said in a joint statement with foreign minister Marise Payne.
“Australia supports a peaceful, stable, resilient and prosperous region, with Asean at its heart.”
Brunei, serving as Asean chair, said the agreement “marked a new chapter in relations” and would be “meaningful, substantive and mutually beneficial”.
After the announcement, Australia said it would invest A$154 million in projects in Southeast Asia on health and energy security, counter-terrorism, fighting and transnational crime, plus hundreds of scholarships.
China has also sought an agreement on the same strategic level with Asean. Premier Li Keqiang met Asean leaders on Tuesday, and the bloc’s leaders will meet President Xi Jinping in November at a special summit, to be held virtually, two diplomatic sources told Reuters.
Australia already has bilateral strategic partnerships of various levels with Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Stability and security
Morrison also sought to reassure Asean that Aukus, a trilateral security pact agreed last month between the US, the UK and Australia, under which Australia will get access to nuclear-powered submarines, would be no threat to the region.
One ambassador to Asean said Australia clinching the comprehensive strategic partnership with Asean was “quite something” in the wake of regional reservations over the Aukus pact.
“Kudos to Australia,” the ambassador said.
Aukus has raised concerns in Southeast Asia that China could see it as a move by the West to challenge its growing influence in the region, particularly in the South China Sea.
The US and allies have increased patrols to challenge Beijing’s vast maritime fleet which it deploys to buttress its claims to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea.
“Aukus adds to our network of partnerships that support regional stability and security,” Morrison said.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo said today he was concerned that Aukus “could spark rivalry in the region”, according to his foreign minister, Retno Marsudi.
US ally the Philippines has backed Aukus but its president, Rodrigo Duterte, said it “must complement and not complicate our working methods for cooperation”.
Military analysts have said the nuclear submarines Australia will buy from the US have unmatched stealth and underwater longevity. China has opposed the pact and said it could be damaging and intensify an arms race.
US President Joe Biden was due to join the virtual East Asia Summit later today, with leaders of China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Russia and South Korea, Japan and Asean members. - FMT

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