THE ROLE OF ASEAN-UK RELATION IN THE CHANGE OF THE REGIONAL ARCHITECTURE

On February 18 and 19, 2020, Dr. Tran Dinh Lam – Director of the Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies attended the conference on the role of ASEAN-UK relation in the change of the regional architecture  held at the ASEAN Secretariat New building, Jakarta, Indonesia. The Conference brought together several Southeast Asian experts from the United Kingdom and experts from ASEAN Member States such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Delegates at the conference

Image: ASEAN Studies Center, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia

In attendance were H.E. Jon Lambe – United Kingdom Ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; H.E. Michael R. Tene – Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Community & Corporate Affairs; Prof. Abdul Hal bin Julay of the Center for Advanced Research, University of Brunei Darussalam; Dr. David Martin Jones of the Faculty of War Studies, King’s College London; Dr. Oliver Turner of the Faculty of Politics and International Relations, University of Edinburgh; Prof. Dedi Dinarto of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies; Dr. John Harley Breen – Research Analyst, Department of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science and Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre; Dr. Kasira Cheeppensook – Researcher at the Center for Social Development Studies, Chulalongkorn University; Prof. Alan Collins – Senior Lecturer in International Relations, Swansea University; Isabel Dunstan – Member of Chatham House; Mme. Pich Charadine (MA) of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace; Mr. Phoudthasaichay Yokkhanphone of the Institue of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR; and Dr. Sameer Kumar of the Asia-Europe Institute, University of Malaysia.

To commence the conference, H.E. John Lambe delivered his opening remarks on the 400-year trade history between the United Kingdom and the Southeast Asia. He noted the United Kingdom’s ongoing interest in expanding  cooperation, trade, and cultural exchange with the ASEAN community as well as maintaining regional peace and prosperity.

At the conference, Prof. Alan Collins urged ASEAN to orient human development towards a people-centered model with conventions based on general provisions and specific characteristics. He  opined that the way to aspire people to build a community is to give them the right to self-determination and facilitate opportunities for business elites to make contributions towards a united and prosperous ASEAN.

Speaking on a different subject, Dr. David Martin Jones discussed the ever-increasing significance of the United Kingdom’s security and economic interests in the Indo-Pacific region. He pointed out how such interests had benefited the United Kingdom and the European Union by providing economic and investment opportunities. In addition, he called on developed and developing countries of the region to maintain mutual respect for each other and adhere to the principles of international law, especially in regard to freedom of movement in Southeast Asian waters.

On the topic of the United Kingdom’s contribution to Southeast Asia, Mr. John Harley Breen (MA) highlighted the United Kingdom’s effort in maintaining law and order within the region, citing the ongoing naval presence in ASEAN waters. He noted such action was carried out by the United Kingdom in its capacity as a non-EU member and forge the linkage between this and ASEAN’s neutrality in its relation with many nations of power.

Continuing the above topic, Dr. Oliver Turner discussed how the United Kingdom’s key seat in the United Nations Security Council and the signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia had given ASEAN a firmer voice in the East Sea disputes. He explained that being the key member in many international organizations had put the United Kingdom in an advantageous position to aid many nations in reaching Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, he stated the United Kingdom had solidified its presence both in the regional and the global stage by re-establishing regulations on issues such as information, copyright infringement, environment protection, cyber security as well as rule of law on the East Sea.

At one part during the conference, researchers of Southeast Asian nations collectively called on every nation to lend support for the establishment of a peaceful, international law abiding environment in the East Sea; the formulation of development thought aimed at prosperity for all; the cutting of national defense cost; the investment into education to strengthen the region’s soft power; the upholding of the power of the Law during socio-economic development; and the building of a long-term vision for ASEAN nations. Singapore under the Lee Kuan Yew administration was brought up as a reference point on the rule-of-law discipline of the leader for every nation’s course of development. In addition, the United Kingdom’s education system was mentioned for having trained impassioned leaders responsible for putting education at the core of human resources development and building Singapore’s economy to its current booming state.

To conclude the conference, in his closing remarks, Prof. Dafri Agussalim of Gadjah Mada University expressed his gratitude for all the innovative ways of thinking displayed by the experts at the conference. He wished these profound contributions will be able to  find their way to the capable future generation who possess sufficient soft skills, policy making and leadership capacity. Prof. Agussalim was also very appreciative of the frank discussion between experts from the United Kingdom and Southeast Asia. It is his belief that cultural understanding, mutual respect, and the rule of law are what necessary to create unity, peaceful coexistence, true happiness, and a dynamic market for the inhabitants of the region.

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