T

he 49th annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in Vientiane, Laos, was concluded with the issuance of a joint communique by the bloc’s top diplomats, a feat their biggest critics wrongly predicted was impossible.

One of the most hotly debated points in the communique was the inclusion of a subsection on the South China Sea (SCS) debacle.

“This [agreed text] is proof that ASEAN is able to come together as one in times of trouble, in order to safeguard its home and common interests,” Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Tuesday.

The road to an ASEAN consensus was a dynamic process. For three days, Retno ran a diplomatic marathon of sorts, approaching each of the ASEAN foreign ministers separately to consolidate support for a consensus.

It was Indonesia that also took the initiative of convening the ministers in an informal retreat ahead of the AMM plenary as a means to build trust among member states.

The joint communique is an outcome document of the AMM that reflects the views and agreement of ASEAN foreign ministers on various subjects of regional interest.

For Indonesia, this year’s notable AMM joint communique includes points on the eradication of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the protection of migrant workers’ rights in ASEAN, the continuous improvement of ASEAN’s processes and mechanisms, the increase in maritime cooperation, small and medium enterprise (SME) cooperation, trafficking in persons and counterterrorism, the commitment to safeguard the Southeast Asia region from nuclear weapons, the support of Palestinian independence, increased ASEAN connectivity and cooperation on the 2025 ASEAN Vision and the 2030 UN Agenda for sustainable development.

At a time when the world’s attention is fixated on security in Southeast Asia, the communique reaffirms the commitment of ASEAN member states to maintain regional peace and stability, including in the SCS.

Another notable point in this year’s negotiated text was ASEAN’s commitment on the full respect of diplomatic and legal processes involving ASEAN and non-ASEAN parties in order to resolve overlapping territorial claims on land and at sea and in accordance with the rule of law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

“ASEAN’s commitment in the joint communique showcases ASEAN’s consistency in maintaining regional peace and stability by promoting international law,” Retno said.

At Indonesia’s initiative, the AMM also issued a joint statement of ASEAN foreign ministers on protecting regional security, peace and stability. The statement is seen as reaffirming the strong commitment to protect ASEAN’s home and ensure the region remains peaceful and stable.

It also reaffirms ASEAN’s commitment to uphold the Charter of the UN, the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia in country-to-country engagements.

“The joint statement of ASEAN foreign ministers showcases ASEAN unity and centrality in protecting its home amid the flow and ebb of global geopolitics,” the minister said.

China, which is often singled out as the antagonist in the region, but is just as susceptible to its tensions, has signaled a softening on its stance on the disputed body of water.

Meanwhile, Laos Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith said ASEAN foreign ministers had “good discussions” on the SCS issue, which was reflected in the joint communique.

“The parties concerned undertake to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat of use of force [...] in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS,” read one of the points in the communique.

Earlier on Monday, ASEAN and China reached a compromise on the longstanding issue of the implementation of the Declaration of Conduct (DOC) in the South China Sea, following the adoption of a joint foreign ministers statement on the “full and effective implementation” of the DOC.
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