Asean Needs Bigger Role: Researcher

The July 12 arbitration decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in favor of the Philippines’ maritime rights against China’s overarching claims in the South China Sea means Asean will need to play an active, diplomatic role in diffusing tension and maintaining stability in the region, according to a senior analyst and researcher. In a public lecture organized by the US Embassy and the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, keynote speaker Dr. Michael Green – Senior Vice-President for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies – said the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague’s decision was “a big diplomatic and legal defeat” for China, but expressed disappointment over Asean’s paltry role in mediating geopolitical tensions with Beijing.

The international tribunal ruled that China’s historic claims, based on the “nine-dash line” of demarcation, were unfounded under the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), stating the country had “no historical rights” to the contested waters. Beijing refused to recognize the court and rejected its ruling, saying it was illegitimate. Cambodia, whose largest source of investment and aid comes from China, also chose to abstain from being a part of any Asean statement on the ruling and has worked with other Asean nations to repeatedly scrap any unified statements from the regional bloc.

The Chinese government asserts that its maritime disputes should be solved by the parties involved, and on an April tour of Southeast Asia, secured agreements with Brunei, Laos and Cambodia that territorial rows were not an Asean concern and should instead be solved bilaterally – garnering criticism of the body’s efficiency and ability to actively resolve diplomatic disputes between governing bodies in the region. “Asean [should] be an effective framework not only for good relations among the 10 member states…but also to be a way to prevent big powers from intervening and picking apart small powers in Asia,” he said.

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