IRIA News

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Indonesia for the 43rd ASEAN summit. All participants pledged efforts to enhance the bloc’s centrality and economic integration. The summit started on September 4 and will continue till September 11, 2023.

The ongoing political and security crisis of Myanmar, China’s increasing role in the regional geopolitical landscape, rising global inflation, food security, and climate change remained the main topics of discussion among the leaders of the ASEAN states. Apart from the leaders of the ASEAN states, United States Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and other prominent leaders were also present during the summit.

President of Indonesia Joko Widodo chaired the meeting between the leaders of Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Lao’s People Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Widodo welcomed his fellow ASEAN leaders as he hosted the summit in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. On the first day of the summit, Widodo said that the 10-member regional bloc “has agreed not to be a proxy” to any power, and said they “must become captains of our own ship to achieve peace.”

According to the joint statement, the leaders reiterated the importance of maintaining an ASEAN-centered, open, inclusive, transparent, resilient regional architecture that upholds international law and rules that strengthen our engagement and cooperation with Dialogue Partners and external partners, including through existing ASEAN-led mechanisms, to promote peace, stability, security, and development.

During the four-day-long event, the ASEAN leaders adopted several declarations focusing on different aspects of the region’s economic and social development including:

• Declaration on ASEAN Human Rights Dialogue
• Declaration on ASEAN as an Epicentrum of Growth
• Declaration on Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Response to Crises
• Declaration on Disability Inclusive Development and Partnership for a Resilient ASEAN Community,
• Declaration on Early Childhood Care and Education in Southeast Asia,
• Declaration on Gender Equality and Family Development
• ASEAN Blue Economy Framework
• Declaration on Sustainable Resilience

ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific

Leaders of the ASEAN states also reiterated their commitment to the safety and security of the Indo-Pacific region by updating the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), a joint declaration that focuses on the security issues related to the Indo-Pacific region.

Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn led the ASEAN Secretariat delegation to attend the 26th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign (APT) Summit today in Jakarta. The APT countries reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen and deepen the APT process. pic.twitter.com/v4Cze1KH14

— ASEAN (@ASEAN) September 6, 2023

The joint statement AOIP said that the ASEAN leaders expressed concern over the intensifying geopolitical tensions in the region, and underlined the value and relevance of the AOIP to ASEAN’s peace, security, stability, and prosperity.

The statement added that the leaders were determined to further promote the AOIP in our interactions with partners and to mainstream and promote the implementation of the AOIP through concrete projects and activities in order to promote mutual trust, respect, and benefit through ASEAN-led mechanisms.

11th U.S.-ASEAN Summit 

The U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris was also present during the summit as she met with the ASEAN leaders for the 11th U.S.-ASEAN summit at the sidelines of the main event. During her meeting with, Harris said “The United States has an enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and, more broadly, to the Indo-Pacific. We are a proud Pacific power, and the American people have a profound stake in the future of the Indo-Pacific.”

The meeting stressed the importance of advancing the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific and anticipated “meaningful” implementation of the annex to the U.S.-ASEAN Plan of Action (2021-2025) in line with their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The meeting also adopted the establishment of a U.S.-ASEAN Centre in the United States, according to a statement posted on ASEAN’s official website.

The United States has an enduring commitment to Southeast Asia. At the U.S.-ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit in Jakarta, we will build on our continued work to deliver results for the people of our nations and the world. pic.twitter.com/3CdD3Tokq8

— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) September 6, 2023

Harris expressed her concerns over the ongoing security situation in Myanmar. “We have a shared commitment to international rules and norms and to our partnership on pressing national and regional issues, such as the crisis in Myanmar.”

The U.S. vice president highlighted that “The United States will continue to press the regime to end the horrific violence, to release all those unjustly detained, and to re-establish Myanmar’s path to inclusive democracy, and we will continue to support ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus.”

International Strategic Partnerships

Leaders of the ASEAN countries met with the representatives and leaders of several countries who were present during the summit. Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with the ASEAN leaders to sign several agreements on increasing cooperation between China and ASEAN. This includes the China-ASEAN Agricultural Cooperation as well as cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific.

ASEAN leaders also met with the leaders and representatives of Japan, South Korea, Canada, and India to sign declarations on increasing economic cooperation and comprehensive strategic partnerships related to economic growth, climate change, and food security.

ASEAN’s Expansion

During the summit, ASEAN leaders also discussed the possibility of expanding the 10-member bloc by adding East Timor. The accession of East Timor into ASEAN has been in process since the country’s independence in 2002.

On September 7, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kim Kao Hourn led the alliance’s Secretariat team to attend the 18th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Jakarta. The EAS nations agreed to enhance cooperation on broad strategic, political, and economic issues of common interest and concern. According to the ASEAN official statement, “The Meeting adopted the EAS Leaders’ Statement on Maintaining and Promoting the Region as an Epicentrum of Growth and exchanged views on a wide range of regional and international issues.”