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Past, present and future of ASEAN-Australia cooperation
The current assessment in ASEAN capitals is that Australia is a trusted and energetic partner.
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This handout photo taken and released on March 5, 2024 by the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2024 shows (from left to right) ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Indonesia's President Joko “Jokowi“ Widodo, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Timor-Leste's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao posing for the leaders' family photo during the 50th ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne. (AFP/Irene Dowdy/ASEAN-Australia Special Summit 2024)
A
s ASEAN and Australia commemorate the 50th anniversary of their dialogue partnership this year, a wide range of historical dynamics, current areas of mutual interest, and opportunities for future engagement need to be considered closely.
The reality for Australia is that its relative importance to ASEAN has shifted over the decades, from rhetorical support in the early days of ASEAN’s establishment to active and intensive engagement today.
From time to time, Australia has been perceived by some spectators in the region as a “Western actor” in the Asian continent, meaning it is sometimes depicted as representing only Western values and interests. Nonetheless, the hard work from the Australian government to convince the Southeast Asian countries, especially by the current administration, has shown that it is prepared to act as a “residential power”.
Australia’s commitment and willingness to go hand-in-hand to deal with common regional security threats and address global problems has brought positive results. Moreover, through its sustainable development assistance to Southeast Asian countries, Australia has shown a deep interest in sincerely engaging and empowering these countries to achieve its security and welfare, which eventually would benefit Australia as well.
Australia, perhaps more than some others, has been prepared to engage in ways that have built a significant set of relationships and trust across Southeast Asia and with ASEAN sustained throughout five decades of social, economic and strategic change.
The 2021 agreement of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and Australia is a strong endorsement of this model of diplomatic and people-to-people ties coupled with practical cooperation in responding to ASEAN priorities.
Recent Australian government statements highlight the ambition to further expand on this level of economic enmeshment. Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, a major Australian government report launched in 2023, sets out substantial recommendations to support trade and investment, with priority put on agriculture and food, resources, the green energy transition, infrastructure, education and skills, the visitor economy, health, the digital economy, professional and financial services, and creative industries.
