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How Indonesia’s ASEAN chairmanship could make or break the bloc
The summit’s theme, ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth, projects optimism but fails to address the disparate levels of economic development within the bloc.
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Members of the presidential detail simulate the reception of heads of state who will participate in the ASEAN Summit upon their arrival at Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Aug. 31, 2023. (Antara/Raisan Al Farisi)
T
he 43rd ASEAN Summit next week in Jakarta under Indonesia's chairmanship might seem like an opportunity teeming with potential for the Southeast Asian bloc. However, upon closer scrutiny, it becomes apparent that the summit is an intersection of geopolitical challenges and a maze of internal contradictions and uncertainties.
One has to wonder whether Indonesia's ambiguous approach to pressing issues like the South China Sea is less about diplomatic finesse and more about strategic indecisiveness. Realist theory in international relations warns that power abhors a vacuum; by choosing to remain non-committal on China's territorial claims, Indonesia risks losing its regional influence.
This ambivalence is not limited to maritime concerns. It extends to the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. Far from merely a diplomatic tightrope, the Myanmar situation exposes the moral dilemma of ASEAN’s noninterference principle.
From a constructivist perspective, which emphasizes norms and collective identity, this policy inaction is slowly eroding ASEAN's claim to be a force for regional stability. Moreover, noninterference is becoming increasingly impractical in a world where internal conflicts have transnational repercussions like mass migrations.
Adding another layer of complexity is Indonesia's proposal to establish a "troika of ASEAN chairs" to streamline decision-making within the bloc. Although this seems like a remedy for the slow pace of consensus-building, it raises questions about potential power imbalances. Critical theory encourages us to view such structural changes through the lens of power dynamics. Will the new mechanism amplify existing inequalities among member states?
Similarly commendable yet fraught with contradictions is Indonesia’s focus on sustainability. For a country that houses some of the world's most critical rainforests but also struggles with illegal logging and unsustainable fishing, its call for green policies appears somewhat incongruous. It is essential to consider whether this is a genuine commitment or a strategy to shift the Overton window, making certain political stances seem more radical or acceptable than they are.
On the economic front, the summit’s theme, ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth, projects optimism but fails to address the disparate levels of economic development within the bloc. The statement glosses over underlying issues of economic inequality and could be seen as a way to sidestep the crucial but unaddressed question of Timor-Leste's pending membership. This development could invigorate the bloc’s labor markets and add a new dimension to its collective capabilities.
