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Asean should confine itself to economic issues

I refer to the commentary titled “China shoots itself in the foot with divide and rule tactics in Asean” (June 17).

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Bernard Sim Kheng Joo

I refer to the commentary titled “China shoots itself in the foot with divide and rule tactics in Asean” (June 17).

China has stated that the South China Sea issue should be kept off any Asean-China discussions. I disagree that it is wishful thinking.

There are some Asean member nations who want to turn Asean into a political bloc in confrontation with China. But Asean should confine itself to economic issues, not political ones.

Yet, instead of concentrating on economic issues, some members prefer to focus on the political aspects.

It is also insensitive to refer to Asean members who object to this as “Trojan horses”. Timor Leste may become an Asean member, and just because China has helped Timor Leste economically, it is unfair to assume it will be one.

To rub salt into the wound, the writer warns that Trojan horses belong to a bygone era and have no place in Asean.

The writer blames Asean’s failure to issue a joint statement on such supposed Trojan horses, and China’s attempt to “divide and rule”. But Asean will doom itself if members interfere with other members’ right to act independently, depict them as Trojan horses, and cast their actions in a suspicious light.

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