Asean chairmanship chance to ‘boost US ties’

US will pitch in to strengthen maritime and cybersecurity, writes Patpon Sabpaitoon

The United States supports Thailand’s role as Asean chair, specifically as it relates to Thailand’s ability to draw multilateral effort from Asean members to deal with maritime and cybersecurity, says the US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, Randall G Schriver.

“The US will be a supportive partner in Thailand’s chairmanship year,” he said.

“We’ll take Thailand’s lead on what issues Thailand wants to promote during its chairmanship.”

He added that his government and Thailand discussed co-chairing a working group on maritime security and the countries had agreed to participate in a US-Asean maritime security exercise in 2019.

Mr Schriver believes multilateral effort from Asean members and its dialogue partners can contribute to the strengthening of maritime security, counter-terrorism and cybersecurity efforts.

“Maritime security is an inherently multilateral endeavour and Thailand is well positioned to be a part of that and we can be a supportive partner in that effort,” he said.

Mr Schriver is leading a delegation to participate in the 5th US-Thailand strategic defence talk with Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon in Bangkok.

Major concerns in the Pacific surround China’s behaviour in the region, because China has militarised certain outposts in the South China Sea through the reclamation of land and the construction of physical structures on the islands in the process of trying to develop the ability to enforce extensive illegal claims of sovereignty, he said.

In Mr Schriver’s view, China’s aggrandisement remains a pressing issue which presents the broader issue of eroding international law and international norms.

The US is employing diplomatic and political tools to deter China’s aggrandisement, and has engaged in several activities in the public domain to promote freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, such as conducting joint patrols with concerned parties.

Regarding engagement with China, Mr Schriver said the US doesn’t object to other countries’ relationships with China, but urged those countries to proceed with caution.

Even though the US has a defence engagement and military relationship with China, Mr Schriver said the US exercises caution in its interactions with China and does not disseminate information or technology that might help them increase their power.

Furthermore, having been established for nearly 65 years, Thailand’s security partnership with the United States maintains its importance as the US is looking for ways to cope with the new threats and challenges of the 21st century.

Looking ahead, Mr Schriver hopes the two will be able to testify to the current threats and challenges countries in the region are facing.

The defence relationship is marked by a high level of US support for Thailand’s role as Asean chair, and he is looking forward to February’s general election, he said.

He added that North Korea is another challenging hot spot in the region. Mr Schriver said the US is appreciative of Thailand’s efforts to enforce human rights sanctions and contribute to the pressure campaign which led to diplomatic opportunities to engage with North Korea on its path to denuclearisation.

Regarding security challenges in Asean, Mr Schriver said the US is concerned about Myanmar’s military involvement in the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, and it has been supporting victims through various forms of state-funded refugee assistance.

He stressed the need for Myanmar to create an environment in which the persecuted people can safely return and resume their lives in Rakhine state, adding that even though the US wishes to resume a normal military relationship with the country, the US cannot do so, given the current situation.

“The US government’s engagement with Myanmar is extremely modest — not straightened nor expanded — because they are involved in ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya,” he said.

He said that in order to have a free and open Indo-Pacific region, which is advocated by the US National Defence Strategy, each country should be able to protect its own sovereignty, uphold international laws and international norms, maintain freedom of navigation and maintain fair and free reciprocal trade.

Mr Schriver added that the US is trying to ensure that its partners can work towards achieving the full spectrum of goals for the region.

He also said countries need to think differently when it comes to security. For the US, alliances in relation to traditional and emerging threats are being restructured through the diversification of defence relationships.

Maritime security is an inherently multilateral endeavour and Thailand is well positioned to be a part of that.

RANDALL G SCHRIVER US ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENCE FOR ASIAN AND PACIFIC SECURITY AFFAIRS