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China hosts ASEAN Foreign Ministers

Topics Covered: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.

China hosts ASEAN Foreign Ministers:

Context:

China is hosting Foreign Ministers from the 10 ASEAN countries. The event also marks the 30-year anniversary of relations.

  • ASEAN is being seen as a key space where Chinese and Quad initiatives may rub up against each other.

Concerns for China:

There are possibilities that Quad members will further rope in ASEAN members to counter China as Southeast Asia is of great significance to the U.S.’ Indo-Pacific Strategy.

  • China recently called the Quad as “an Asian NATO”.

What is ASEAN?

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional organization which was established to promote political and social stability amid rising tensions among the Asia-Pacific’s post-colonial states.

The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.

ASEAN Secretariat – Indonesia, Jakarta.

Genesis:

Established in 1967 with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by its founding fathers.

Founding Fathers of ASEAN are: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Ten Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Significance of ASEAN for India:

  1. Against the backdrop of aggressive moves by China, including the Ladakh standoff, India placed the ASEAN at the centre of India’s Act East policy and held that a cohesive and responsive ASEAN is essential for security and growth for all in the region.
  2. ASEAN is necessary for the success of the Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) Vision.
  3. The region is significant for diversification and resilience of supply chains for post-Covid-19 economic recovery.
  4. It is India’s 4th largest trading partner with about USD 86.9 billion in trade.

 

Insta Curious:

India has progressed to be a Strategic partner to  ASEAN in 2012 from Sectoral Dialogue Partnership in 1992. Read here. (Know about the different forms or partnerships that exists)

 

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

  1. Geographical location of asean countries.
  2. Total population of asean countries.
  3. Chairmanship of ASEAN.
  4. When and where Asean summits are held?
  5. What are Free-trade agreements (FTAs)?

Mains Link:

Examine the significance of ASEAN for India’s economic, geo-strategic and security imperatives?

Sources: the Hindu.