Policy 101 : ASEAN Geopolitics Insights

Geopolitics

Geopolitics is the devising of a nation’s security policy on the basis of geographic factors. John Kieffer defines geopolitics in terms of the application of “The social, political, economic, strategic and geographic elements of a state. Evolution of global population is also a key factor for geopolitics, technological development, economics, and environment. Between 1900 and 2000, the global population has nearly multiplied by 4 from 1.7 billion up to 6 billion. This leads to deep adaptations for food and feed production, energy consumption, housing, material requirements, and pollution.

More or less irrespective of that, scientific, technical, and industrial progress has modified our day life and our future. Geopolitical competition often occurs between great powers and aspiring great powers for control. This includes control over territory, natural resources and other important geographical positions/places (i.e. ports and harbours, canals, river systems, etc.). This kind of geographical contestation can be intensified in specific places if the latter are of vital importance to one or more stakeholders concerned.

Geopolitics principles

1. The first aspect of revitalised geopolitics is recognising that geographical conditions must not be seen as an irreversible fate. Geographical conditions are, rather, a set of obstacles and opportunities, meaning a structure that is independent of agency.
2. The second is that the most important thing for any country is to maintain territorial unity. Therefore, countries will defend their borders. Finally, countries need connections with other countries that are reliable and long-lasting.
3. Third, to show that geographical conditions are important and in what ways, will help to trace processes and to establish causal mechanisms, concentrating on the role of geographical conditions in them. Non-geographic intervention factors must be recognized. Technology will play an active role in distributing the most important factors.

ASEAN

We can conclude that the Indo-Pacific region is currently one of the flashpoints of global power contestations in the 21st century. Located at the intersection of the Indo-Pacific region, Southeast Asia finds itself at the centre of the emerging great power competition. There is an ongoing debate in the region on the issue of the evolving power rivalry, and its implications on Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) role as the key driver in setting regional norms.

   ASEAN has tenaciously fought for its place as the geopolitical hinge between East and South Asia. Playing an important ‘strategic convenor’ role for the whole Asia-Pacific region, and indeed now whole Indo-Pacific, in the operation of the key regional economic and security dialogue and policymaking structures. Considering the number of ASEAN member states involved in the territorial dispute, ASEAN has for years aimed to conclude a legal instrument known as the ‘Code of Conduct.’ In comparison to the past agreement, ‘Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,’ the conclusion of a ‘Code of Conduct’ will result in a legally binding agreement. This is between China and the claimant states of Southeast Asia in regards to the actions that are legal and illegal to be conducted in the South China Sea area.

Regions

The geopolitical influence of China in Southeast Asia has been largely growing for the past decades, accompanying with a constant trend of the US’ effects. It is believed that China and the US can coexist peacefully in Southeast Asia to promote the regional development. To jointly create an open, inclusive and balanced regional cooperation architecture that benefits all nations in this region and great powers, through mutual political trust and economic beneficial cooperation. This study may contribute to advancing the policy debate, and determining the optimal cooperation in pledging commitment to a new and sustainable model of great power relationship among the various regional geopolitical options.

The norm of ASEAN centrality relates to how ASEAN will be the centre of negotiation and regional frameworks agreed upon to in the conduct of international relations of Southeast Asia and regions near that. ASEAN focuses on placing the ASEAN centrality concept in facing the Indo-Pacific region. It is prioritizing several points of cooperation between ASEAN and Indo-Pacific. The cooperation areas include in the field of maritime, SDGs, and economic cooperation. Maritime disputes in the South China Sea have been among the biggest political irritants. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam claim features in waters contested with China. For those countries, China’s moves to reclaim land and build artificial islands are seen as violations of their national sovereignty.

Sources used during this writing

• Chacko, P. and Willis, D. (2018) ‘Pivoting to Indo-Pacific? The Limits of Indian and Indonesian Integration’, East Asia. Springer Netherlands, 35(2), pp. 133–148. doi: 10.1007/s12140-018-9293-6.
• Scholvin, Geopolitics of Regional Power
• Spykman, ‘Geography and Foreign Policy I’
• https://www.fpri.org/article/2020/01/why-geopolitics-matters/
• https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/asean-centrality-and-the-emerging-great-power-competition/