At a time when the world is witnessing the ongoing conflict in the Russian-Ukrainian war between Russia on the one hand and the Western countries led by the United States that support Ukraine on the other, the leaders of Southeast Asian countries are meeting with senior American, Chinese and Japanese officials in a series of summits hosted by Indonesia,

 

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Edited by| Paul Mitchel

 

Politic section -  CJ journalist

 

Jakarta – September,6,2023

 

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Today, to discuss the rivalry between major powers and other regional issues such as the South China Sea issue, North Korean missiles, the Myanmar issue and talks between China and Japan on the release of treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant to the sea.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes 10 countries, is holding separate summits with each of "China, Japan, South Korea, the United States and Canada," giving way to the major powers to mobilize the support of the countries of the bloc.

US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend Joe Biden's place, while Chinese prime minister Li Qiang will participate instead of President Xi Jinping, as well as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yun Suk-Yul.

Speaking at the start of the ASEAN-China summit, Li said, "We seek common ground while putting aside our differences. We strive tirelessly for peace".

"As long as we stick to the right path, no matter what storm may come, China-ASEAN cooperation will be more solid than ever . Facing all challenges".

"Differences may arise between countries due to misunderstandings, conflicting interests or foreign interference . "In order to keep these differences under control, it is now important to refrain from choosing a camp, to oppose the confrontation between the blocs and to prevent a new Cold War," he said.

Wednesday's meetings will be more regional in nature before Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends an East Asia Summit of 18 countries on Thursday, with broader geopolitical issues expected to top the agenda.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday that"at the two summits, the vice president will confirm the United States 'permanent commitment to the Indo-Pacific region".

Also in attendance are Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yun Suk-Yul.

They will meet with Li at the "ASEAN+three" summit, which is expected to focus on the dispute between China and Japan over the discharge of treated contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The Japanese foreign ministry said that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Chinese counterpart held short talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, and during the meeting Kishida explained Tokyo's point of view on the release of treated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant to the sea, according to a statement issued by the ministry.

Indonesia assured the ASEAN leaders summit on Tuesday that the bloc will not turn into an arena where major powers compete in light of the increasing tension between the United States, the United States and China over Taiwan, the South China Sea and the Russian war on Ukraine.

The meeting between Lavrov and Harris will be the first high-level meeting between the United States and Russia since the meeting of foreign ministers held in Jakarta last July, when the Russian Foreign Minister faced us and European criticism of his country over the background of the Ukraine war.

A South-East Asian official who attended the meetings on Wednesday confirmed to AFP that they will conclude with joint statements on closer diplomatic, economic and food security-related cooperation between the powers and ASEAN.

Li is due to visit a Beijing-funded high-speed rail project between Jakarta and Bandung in Java province on Wednesday, Indonesian officials said.

Other regional issues such as North Korean missile launches are also expected to top the agenda.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that some ASEAN member states expressed concern about the launch of ballistic missiles by North Korea during a summit with China, South Korea and Japan on Wednesday.

South Korean President Yun Suk-yul said on Wednesday that any attempt to cooperate militarily with North Korea in a way that harms world peace should be stopped immediately, according to his office.

In an interview with the Indonesian newspaper Kompas on Tuesday, the South Korean President said he would press for "unity of class" between ASEAN and Seoul to counter nuclear threats from Pyongyang.

Myanmar will also be a key issue at the summits with China, one of the junta's most prominent allies in the country.

On Tuesday, the leaders of Southeast Asian countries strongly condemned the violence and attacks against civilians in Myanmar, blaming them directly on the Military Council. Indonesia stressed that there has been no significant progress in the agreed peace plan.

But Myanmar responded by calling ASEAN's positions "lacking objectivity" and" one-sided "in a statement published on Wednesday in the state-backed Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper.

It called on ASEAN to "strictly adhere to the basic provisions and principles of the ASEAN Charter, in particular non-interference in the internal affairs of member states".

The US vice president said on Wednesday that the United States will continue to put pressure on conflict-torn Myanmar to strengthen the path to democracy.

China angered several ASEAN countries last week when it published an official map declaring its sovereignty over most of the South China Sea.

The move was met with sharp denunciations from across the region, including from Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned on Tuesday against ambitions of" domination "over the disputed waterway, noting that any incalculable step could lead to"the most severe consequences for all of us".

The Southeast Asian diplomat who spoke to Agence France-Presse confirmed that the joint statements issued by the meetings "will include references to the South China Sea and Myanmar".

But experts have ruled out ASEAN leaders confronting China's foreign minister for fear of upsetting Beijing.

"I expect the leaders to avoid discussing controversial issues such as the new Chinese map," Alexius gemado, a foreign affairs expert at Indonesia's Pelita Harapan University, told AFP. "They will not risk the relationship with the major powers,"he added.

 

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