Hope in ‘neutrality’?

Re: ‘“Sceptical’ Asean vis-a-vis ‘maverick’ US,” (Opinion, May 10).

Kavi Chongkittavorn alerts us that one, hope-giving, new element may be highlighted in the the joint statement resulting from the upcoming Washington Asean–US summit. This new element would be related to the maritime domain and could contain a US pledge “to promote the Asean members’ ability to conserve, sustainably develop and effectively manage their maritime natural resources in accordance with international law”. This sounds like good news if it would include bio-diversity and joint trusteeship applied to maritime and coastal eco-systems in light of the climate crisis, a dimension of IndoPacific strategy recognising the universal human right to a healthy environment.

We should be reminded that the US-China Joint Glasgow Declaration on Enhancing Climate Action, Nov 10, 2021, stated: “The two sides intend to establish a Working Group on Enhancing Climate Action in the 2020s, which will meet regularly to address the climate crisis and advance the multilateral process, focusing on enhancing concrete actions in this decade.”

Asean could be a priority partner in advancing multilateral collaboration in this framework. So not exclusively with the US, but in tandem with China. This could create a strong synergy in terms of an Eco-Peace approach to global security, in line with the challenges of the UN High Level Advisory Board (HLAB) on Effective Multilateralism, recently appointed by S-G. Antonio Guterres. In this Advisory Board, Asean is represented through Singapore, while both China and the US are members.

The Advisory Board could offer a platform for articulating a meaningful eco-peace “neutrality” towards the Ukraine-Russia war, as well as effective multilateral collaboration to end the cruel oppression of the people of Myanmar.

HANS VAN WILLENSWAARD