Opinion | As Asean chair, Vietnam must deepen regional solidarity amid US-China rivalry

Asean has many pressing challenges today, including disputes in the South China Sea, the crisis surrounding the Mekong River, and the Covid-19 outbreak

If member states do not prioritise regional interests, Asean could be manipulated by larger powers seeking to advance their interests in the region

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Vietnam should urge Asean member states to prioritise regional interests, writes Pou Southirak. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:00am, 11 Sep 2020Updated: 6:40pm, 12 Nov 2020

Vietnam’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will take centre stage during the coming Asean Regional Forum (ARF) through videoconference this weekend.

Foreign ministers of 27 nations, including Australia, China, India and the United States, are expected to find out how Asean will promote its centrality towards the theme and priorities under Vietnam’s chairmanship.

Asean has many pressing challenges today, including maritime disputes in the South China Sea; the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine state; the crisis surrounding the Mekong River; climate change; the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula; and other non-traditional threats such as the outbreak of Covid-19.

From the Cambodian perspective, Vietnam should strive to achieve the following for a more cohesive and responsive Asean.

Vietnam’s Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh addresses a virtual Asean Foreign Ministers’ meeting on September 10, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE

Prioritise regional interests

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