Philippines' crucial Asean test

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has its own administration.

- Simon Hutagalung

Member states take turns leading the organisation through an annual chairmanship, a system designed to give all members equal opportunities to shape regional priorities.This year, the Philippines holds the Asean chair, a role that carries added significance as the country faces ongoing maritime disputes in the South China Sea.

Unsurprisingly, the Philippines is expected to shift Asean’s focus towards the South China Sea during its term, as it seeks to strengthen the bloc’s security role.

Another major priority will be the crisis in Myanmar, which poses a serious challenge to the chair’s ability to preserve Asean’s unity and relevance.

On the first issue, the Philippines’ chairmanship offers an opportunity to advance maritime security discussions — an area that arguably deserves greater attention from all member states.

The Philippines has consistently opposed China's territorial expansion in the South China Sea. The administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr has also emphasised building stronger collective capacity among Asean member states.

The South China Sea is a vital international shipping route and home to important fishing grounds and potential energy resources.

At the same time, it is an area of overlapping territorial claims involving China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. The militarisation of artificial islands, along with frequent maritime incidents, has heightened tensions and threatens freedom of navigation.