VIENTIANE, Laos — The test of Asean's unity lies in how the bloc deals with internal challenges such as the situation in Myanmar, as well as key regional issues, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Wednesday (Oct 9).
This is even as the 10-member grouping faces an increasingly "troubled and turbulent" external environment, he said, addressing fellow Asean leaders at the 44th and 45th Asean Summits and related meetings held in Vientiane, Laos.
PM Wong, who delivered three speeches on Oct 9, also urged Asean leaders to remain united in purpose despite its diverse grouping and member states' own positions on regional and global issues.
The annual regional gathering is being held against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical tensions, as well as concerns over rising military conflict in the Middle East, maritime disputes in the South China Sea, the broader US-China rivalry, and the continued civil unrest in Myanmar since the 2021 military coup.
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In highlighting the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, which has not seen any political progress and has only increased in violence, PM Wong said Asean must hold the line on the five-point consensus.
This peace plan drawn up months after the coup calls for, among other things, dialogue among all parties and an immediate halt to violence.
"We have to be realistic about what Asean can do and, at the same time, [be] patient and steadfast in pursuing efforts towards peaceful resolution," said PM Wong, as he called on fellow leaders to maintain the bloc's positions, including the decision to ban Myanmar's military leaders from formal Asean summits and to allow only "non-political representatives" to attend.
Aung Kyaw Moe, Permanent Secretary of the junta-controlled Foreign Ministry, is representing Myanmar at the current meet. He was also the representative at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting in July.
On Oct 8 at the Asean Foreign Ministers' meeting, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa had proposed that his country host an informal consultation on the situation in Myanmar in December. He said the consultation would help participants find ways to support the implementation of the five-point consensus.
PM Wong on Oct 9 stressed: "Asean's credibility is at stake if we are unable to hold our position on Myanmar, especially if there has been no improvement to the situation on the ground."
He further noted that international and regional issues like the wars in Europe and the Middle East, the fragmented global economy, and the growing tensions in the South China Sea also have consequences for Asean.
With overlapping territorial claims in the waterway by China, Taiwan and the four Asean states of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, there is a "live and immediate issue, with real risks of an accident spiralling into conflict", he said.
"[There] are fundamental interests at stake for all of us in Asean. They include freedom of navigation and overflight; as well as the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law," he noted.
In the light of the current geopolitical context, the task ahead is to ensure that Asean remains relevant and effective. "For that, we will need to maintain unity of purpose," he said.
The bloc should uphold certain key principles, PM Wong said. These include focusing on the development of the region and improving the lives of its people, respecting international law and peaceful resolution of disputes, as well as actively engaging its partners.
He also stressed the need to accelerate economic integration in Asean by moving quickly in new areas such as the digital and green economies.
In a morning session with Asean leaders, he touched on the need to unlock the potential of the region's digital market, especially through the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement.
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The widely anticipated agreement to facilitate more seamless cross-border digital trade is poised to unlock a potential US$2 trillion (S$2.6 trillion) in Asean's digital economy. Negotiations are expected to conclude by 2025.
Turning to the green economy, PM Wong noted that the proposed Asean Power Grid — which will integrate regional electricity systems and allow electricity trade across borders — will enable member countries to achieve their sustainability goals and speed up the transition to low-carbon and renewable energy solutions.
"It is not easy for us to do this as individual countries, but as a group, as Asean, we can move much faster," he said.
PM Wong called for Asean to uphold respect for international law and the resolution of disputes, both within the bloc and in dealings with external partners.
Meanwhile, the bloc should continue to actively engage its partners while also exercising its agency and convening power to bring all the key players together, with Asean at the centre. "Asean's approach is not to have exclusive commitments with any single party, or even to have passive non-alignment. Instead, we want to actively engage all our partners," he added.
"It is by staying united on key regional and internal issues, and giving the major powers a meaningful stake in our region, [that] Asean can continue to deliver peace and prosperity for our people."
PM Wong also had separate meetings with his counterparts, Paetongtarn Shinawatra of Thailand, Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia, on the sidelines of the sessions in Laos.
A spokesman for Paetongtarn said the two leaders discussed economic co-operation, the digital economy, food security and military co-operation.
PM Wong said in a social media post after their talk: "Singapore and Thailand are old friends. I look forward to working with PM Paetongtarn to further strengthen our bilateral ties."
"Had a fruitful discussion on bilateral issues and strengthening our multifaceted co-operation," said PM Wong about his "catch-up" with Anwar, adding that they would be seeing each other again for the Singapore-Malaysia Leaders' Retreat later this year.
His meeting with Chinh served as the first Annual Leaders' Meeting between Singapore and Vietnam, to which both nations committed in 2023 as part of expanding their scope of co-operation.
"Look forward to the upgrade of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. It will deepen our collaboration in pivotal new areas, including renewable energy, carbon credits, and food security," wrote PM Wong.
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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
