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ASEAN Community a milestone for region: Vivian

KUALA LUMPUR — The formation of an integrated Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community by Dec 31 is a “significant and major” development for the region, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan today (Nov 20).

The 27th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur will focus on a range of issues, from terrorism, the haze and free trade with China, to tensions in the South China Sea. Photo: MFA

The 27th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur will focus on a range of issues, from terrorism, the haze and free trade with China, to tensions in the South China Sea. Photo: MFA

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KUALA LUMPUR — The formation of an integrated Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community by Dec 31 is a “significant and major” development for the region, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan today (Nov 20).

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of preparatory meetings for the 27th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Dr Balakrishnan noted that while ASEAN has been criticised for not moving fast enough because of its preference for consensual decision making, this working method also means that the decisions and progress made by the grouping have been more substantive and permanent.

“ASEAN has given more than 600 million people in South-east Asia a zone of peace and stability. It has also brought development and improvement to the livelihoods of people throughout South-east Asia. These are the key achievements for ASEAN,” he said.

He added that stability in the region has provided the platform and confidence for the major powers to engage ASEAN, allowing the bloc to remain relevant to the global architecture. “It shows that the rest of the world considers the ASEAN region as an area with growth potential and of strategic importance,” said Dr Balakrishnan.

ASEAN, however, faces challenges such as transnational crime, terrorism and haze that will need to be dealt with going forward. “These are issues which we cannot confront unilaterally but in fact require a consolidated and integrated approach by all ASEAN members,” he said.

Dr Balakrishnan revealed that following last week’s terror attacks in Paris, the ASEAN Political-Security Community Council Meeting of regional Foreign Ministers today discussed how to combat extremism, share intelligence, enforce laws and prevent the radicalisation of young men in the region.

“Dealing with terrorism is not just enforcement, or military or police operation,” he said. “There is also a need to reach out to our young people and to show them that there are better and more effective ways to achieve progress, to discover identity, to assert values, shared values in our societies and also how to deradicalise and deal particularly with religious rehabilitation.”

On the transboundary haze, which has affected several ASEAN countries this year, Dr Balakrishnan said that Singapore’s long-standing position is to push for the operationalisation of a regional haze management mechanism, earlier mobilisation of assistance and greater information-sharing among the governments.

“The way forward is clear. What we need now is political will and effective action on the ground and done in a collective fashion,” he said.

Commenting on ASEAN-China relations, Dr Balakrishnan said that there are several key milestones on the horizon. ASEAN and China will today sign an agreement to upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This will introduce more flexible rules of origin to make it easier for Singaporean exports to qualify for preferential tariff treatment and guarantee more access for Singaporean service providers in China, among others.

“This (upgraded FTA) will enhance opportunities for trade, investments and people-to-people engagement,” noted Dr Balakrishnan. “This is a major deliverable very early in Singapore’s three-year term as coordinator for ASEAN-China dialogue relations,” he added. The Republic took over the coordinatorship in August.

To mark the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-China relations, a commemorative summit will be held next year. ASEAN and China have also agreed to increase educational exchanges in 2016.

When asked by reporters how negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea are proceeding, the Foreign Minister said that the discussions “are in the very early days”.

“What is important is that all parties make steps forward in a peaceful way to resolve differences … It will be a long journey but it is a journey that we have to take.”

China has overlapping claims with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei in the South China Sea, through which US$5 trillion (S$7.1 trillion) in shipborne trade passes every year. Beijing has created artificial islands in the disputed waters by reclamation, sparking fears of militarisation and what some believe to be threatening of freedom of navigation in the region. “I hope that ASEAN will continue to be an oasis of peace, calm and stability in an uncertain and troubled world,” added Dr Balakrishnan.

As this is Dr Balakrishnan’s first ASEAN meeting in his capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs, he made introductory calls today on several ASEAN counterparts, including the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

The 27th ASEAN Summit plenary session kicks off tomorrow morning, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong leading the Singapore delegation. In the afternoon, ASEAN leaders will meet their counterparts from China, Japan, South Korea, India and the United States in a series of Related Summits.

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