Ain Bandial

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, (Reuters) – Fumio Kishida, Japan’s Prime Minister, stressed Wednesday to Southeast Asian leaders that his nation strongly opposes any challenges to a maritime order free from restrictions. This underscores regional concern about China’s increasing military power.

Kishida was part of a virtual summit that included leaders of ASEAN, who had previously discussed concerns regarding militarisation in the South China Sea. They also called for the creation of an ASEAN China code of conduct in accordance with international law.

Joe Biden from the United States will participate in the East Asia Summit, which takes place later Wednesday with representatives of China, India Australia, New Zealand and Russia.

In the US-China rivalry, Southeast Asia is now a strategic battleground. Washington and its allies are increasing patrols to confront Beijing’s large maritime fleet. This it uses to support its claims of sovereignty over much of the South China Sea.

China claims that overlap with Brunei and Vietnam were invalidated by an international arbitral tribunal.

Australia has been granted access to submarines powered by nuclear weapons under a trilateral security agreement that was signed last month between Australia and Britain. This pact is part of a larger threat to an emerging arms race in Southeast Asia.

According to Retno Marsudi, his foreign minister, Joko Widodo, the Indonesian president said Wednesday that he is concerned about the AUKUS agreement. It could spark rivalry within the region.

While the Philippines supported AUKUS on Wednesday, Rodrigo Duterte its president said that it should “complement rather than complicate our work methods for cooperation.”

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison proposed that ASEAN strengthen its relations at the level of comprehensive and strategic partnership (CSP). Australia would be the first to make such a commitment to ASEAN.

Morrison also tried to assure ASEAN that AUKUS was not an attempt at nuclear weapons and wasn’t a security risk.

“AUKUS will add to our network that supports regional stability, security,” he stated.

ASEAN had addressed another pressing issue in Southeast Asia, Myanmar’s ongoing crisis following an eight-month-old coup. Brunei, ASEAN chair, said that they called for Erywan Yusof, a special envoy to the country to act as mediator and have full access to all concerned parties.

Myanmar did not attend the summit. ASEAN had rejected Min Aung Hlaing as the leader of the coup for failing to implement a peace process and the junta declined to send another representative.

Brunei was the ASEAN chair despite Myanmar’s protests and took a more conciliatory tone during its summit statement.

It stated that Myanmar needs political and time space in order to address its complex problems.