ASEAN cautious of walking into the US trap

March 13, 2024

BEIJING – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim standing alongside his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese in Melbourne during Australia-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Special Summit news conference pushed back against criticism that has been levied against Malaysia and regional countries for giving “additional focus” to Beijing, calling it as a “China-phobia” in the West.

“We are (an) independent nation, we are fiercely independent. We do not want to be dictated by any force. So, once we remain to be an important friend to the United States or Europe and here in Australia, they should not preclude us from being friendly to one of our important neighbors, precisely China,” Anwar responded to a question interpreted as resistance to the US pressure in the world media.

His remarks – just days after the Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in his speech to the Australian Parliament attempted to undermine regional peace and prosperity by calling upon Canberra and others to join forces in the face of alleged threats to the rule of law, peace and stability – represented ASEAN policy of safeguarding and promoting regional peace, security and stability; peacefully resolve all disputes through dialogue and fostering economic growth.

Relations between Beijing and Manila were relatively stable under the former Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte. But Marcos’ rabble-rousing stance and Manila’s provocative actions, military drills with America and Australia in the South China Sea), explicit intent to gang up alliances in support of the US-led efforts to stoke tensions in the strategic waterways threaten to challenge the long-established status quo that has helped to uphold peace and encouraged