Asean's inclusive regionalism a precious asset amid pandemic and US-China tensions: Experts

Amid the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and escalating US-China tensions, Asean's brand of inclusive regionalism - where it puts both minds and resources together to solve common challenges - remains a critical asset.

This was the key conclusion drawn by panellists at a webinar, Covid-19 In Asia: Navigating Geopolitical Risks Amid Unprecedented Disruptions, yesterday. The webinar was jointly organised by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Indonesia's Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Japan's National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.

The discussion was moderated by RSIS senior fellow Kwa Chong Guan, with RSIS executive deputy chairman and veteran diplomat Ong Keng Yong making brief welcome remarks.

In her opening speech, RSIS international relations professor Mely Caballero-Anthony said that since the start of the Trump administration, the United States "has rapidly become more isolationist, protectionist, less interested in multilateralism, and visibly absent in the global arena".

She added that countries in the region must rethink a few long-held assumptions: first, the continued role of the US as a provider of regional and global security; and second, sustained economic development, given that the pandemic has disrupted supply chains and production networks.

She also noted the widening power asymmetry between Asean and China, a country which has become more assertive militarily and diplomatically.

As tensions sharpen between the two major powers, Asean cannot simply be a bystander, she said, but must capitalise on existing institutions and platforms such as the Asean Regional Forum, the Asean Economic Community, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to promote regional security and prosperity.

"Asean cannot be content to only be the convener of meetings, but must capitalise on the privilege of being agenda setters, facilitating problem-solving with partners rather than settling for declarations that are more aspirational in nature."

As Asean is integral to global supply chains, Covid-19 presents it with the opportunity to take advantage of reshoring and the reconfiguration of these supply chains, added Prof Caballero-Anthony.

She cited, as an example, subsidies that the Japanese government is providing to encourage its companies to bring production centres back from China to Japan, or to relocate to countries in South-east Asia.

"Asean's brand of inclusive regionalism remains a precious asset, and represents a unique opportunity to actually put minds and resources together to address common challenges," she said, citing economic resilience, food security, and therapeutics and vaccines as areas where Asean can do more.

She suggested that Asean, by working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and countries such as Germany, Japan and Britain, can join the global supply chain for vaccines, such as by producing vials and syringes.

Agreeing, fellow panellist and CSIS executive director Philips Vermonte noted that the Asean-WHO partnership can be enhanced.

A commitment to multilateralism requires domestic support and reform too, he said.

"How can we convince our citizens that multilateralism will serve, and not threaten, their national interests? Even strong governments need to convince their citizens," Dr Vermonte said.

"The inertia of many governments - the slowness, unresponsiveness and unpreparedness - cost them a lot."

There is also the problem of mistrust of institutions such as governments and the media, he added.

"It is an issue of convincing citizens that other countries might (be able to) help us. We need to revive trust in information - good information, responsible and evidence-based information."