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Jokowi pushing ASEAN, China for SCS CoC completion
The South China Sea (SCS) dispute and Chinaâs growing military might and its increasing assertiveness have posed a major threat to peace and security in the Southeast Asian region, forcing Indonesiaâs new government to push fellow ASEAN members and China for the completion of the code of conduct (CoC)
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he South China Sea (SCS) dispute and China's growing military might and its increasing assertiveness have posed a major threat to peace and security in the Southeast Asian region, forcing Indonesia's new government to push fellow ASEAN members and China for the completion of the code of conduct (CoC).
For the past couple of years, China and ASEAN have engaged in stiff negotiations over the CoC ' a binding instrument to help prevent military conflict in the dispute over the resource-rich South China Sea, which involves China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.
On the second leg of his nine-day overseas trip, after Beijing, China, President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo arrived late Tuesday in Nay Pyi Taw to attend the 25th ASEAN summit on Wednesday and confirmed to fellow ASEAN members Indonesia's commitment to play an active role in the region.
According to Cabinet secretary Andi Widjajanto, discussion on ensuring security stability in the region was high on the summit agenda as the President had appealed to all parties involved in the SCS row to refrain from using force, and to prioritize the completion of the CoC.
'There are two points that the President has conveyed regarding the SCS issue; appealing for all parties to refrain from using military force and renewing the commitment to accelerate the completion of the CoC,' said Andi.
Andi said that Jokowi had also demanded that parties in conflict should abide by international norms and regulations while waiting for the CoC completion.
Aside from the security issues, the President has also emphasized the need to pursue the ASEAN pillars, including security, economic community and social culture.
In a press conference in Beijing late Monday, Jokowi discoursed on Indonesia's growing importance in the region amid the rivalry between China and the US, as well as territorial disputes involving many of the US' Asian allies, such as Japan and the Philippines.
'Indonesia is and will remain in the middle. Our Constitution stipulates that we must perform free and active diplomacy. We're always willing to play an active role as an honest broker.'
Confronted with piling domestic problems, many had initially doubted Jokowi's commitment to steer Indonesia, Southeast Asia's biggest economy, into maintaining an active role in promoting security stability in the region. (++++)
