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SINGAPORE — In spite of challenges in and around the region, the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) is more relevant now than ever, said Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Friday (Nov 9).

Speaking to reporters on Singapore’s role as Asean chair over the past year, Dr Balakrishnan said he was “more convinced than ever” of the grouping’s relevance, and how it was able to maintain its “centrality (and) unity…despite very significant existential and strategic challenges”.

“It is a validation of one key precept of our foreign policy – that Asean is the cornerstone of our foreign policy,” said Dr Balakrishnan when asked for his key takeaway.

He added that every Asean member likewise sees the grouping as a key pillar of its foreign policy.

A year ago, the association found itself facing a pushback against free trade, the “fraying of a multilateral rules-based world order we have grown accustomed to”, a digital revolution that is transforming jobs and economes, as well as other challenges like natural and humanitarian disasters, he noted.

“Notwithstanding all these challenges, the fact that we have been able to do so much together with our Asean partners, shows that as long as we continue to build up strategic trust, mutual confidence, open, coherent and consistent communications, we can do a lot together.”

Singapore has also achieved “far more than I dared to anticipate” as Asean chair, he said.

Singapore will host the Asean and related summits in the coming week, capping its one-year stint as Asean chair before handing the reins to Thailand.

The past year has been busy, said Dr Balakrishnan. Challenges included short-term threats, like emergencies and crises, “medium-term challenges needing to reaffirm free trade and a rules-based world order” as well as longer-term challenges such as the digital revolution.

Highlights for Asean in the last 12 months include bringing member economies closer through initiatives such as an Asean agreement on e-commerce and “building bridges with the world” via greater co-operation with its 10 dialogue partners.

The grouping also “invested in the future” with the launch of the Asean Youth Fellowship and the organisation of a special ministerial meeting on climate change, among other initiatives, said Dr Balakrishnan.

One of the key projects in the past year was the Asean Smart Cities Network, which comprises 26 pilot cities with action plans developed till 2025.

The project “resonated heavily” across Asean and its partners, and Singapore will continue to act as a “shepherd” for the project, even when it hands the chairmanship to Thailand, he said.

On building a secure rules-based regional order, the minister highlighted how Asean and China agreed on a single text to negotiate the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea earlier this year.

China as well as several Asean members – Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam – claim parts of the South China Sea.

Their competing claims to the disputed waters have been a long-running issue in regional relations, though tensions have eased in recent months.

Asked about reports suggesting that some Asean members might be frustrated at the pace of the negotiations on the code, Dr Balakrishnan said: “I would say that this is a very challenging situation. The fact that we have arrived at a single negotiating text is a very important first step. Now that doesn’t mean it can be resolved immediately in the short term.”

While he declined to put a deadline on the conclusion of the Code of Conduct, or on the resolution of issues, he said open communication and building trust are important to allow claimant states to resolve their differences “and move forward as carefully and positively as they can, within the constraints that all of them are operating in.”

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

Dr Balakrishnan was also asked about the absence of US President Donald Trump from the US-Asean summit as well as the East Asia Summit, which had raised concerns in some quarters about the US’ engagement in the region.

Vice President Mike Pence will be representing the US at these meetings.

Dr Balakrishnan noted that Mr Pence has "paid attention personally to Asia, in particular, South-east Asia", adding that he believes that Mr Pence's speeches and meetings here "will signal unequivocally the US’ attention and bandwidth that is allocated to our part of the world."

He noted that the US has invested more in South-east Asia than it has in India, China and Japan combined.

“If you look at trade, it is a growing account. So, I would look at the figures and programmes and actions, and I think those speak louder than words.” 

On whether Asean would be affected by the trade tensions between China and the US which has seen both sides slapped tariffs on each other’s exports, he said that trade disputes are “very dangerous” for the grouping given its dependence on trade and current state of development.

This is why Asean members have expressed hope that the US and China can find ways to resolve their differences even though the South-east Asian countries "dont have a direct say on this," he added.

Still, he stressed: "The fact that Asean has convening power, that leaders from all these other countries – including both US and China – visit Singapore, meet each other, have opportunities to discuss and to co-operate, I think that’s a good sign. 

“It also shows Asean’s relevance, Asean's centrality and Asean's inclusivity. That’s another reason why Asean is relevant, not only to us, but for the larger region and the world.”