US and China 'Courting' ASEAN Over the South China Sea

Li Keqiang Proposes 6 Cooperation Measures Including Expansion of China-ASEAN Cooperation Fund
Biden Supports with $100 Million, ASEAN as Core of Indo-Pacific Vision

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] The United States and China, which are sharply at odds, have extended gestures of courtship to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). This is based on the judgment that cooperation from ASEAN countries is necessary to secure influence in the South China Sea.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Chinese media such as the state-run Xinhua News Agency and Global Times on the 27th, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang attended the China-ASEAN virtual summit the day before and urged efforts to reach an early agreement on the 'Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.'

Premier Li said, "This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue relations between China and ASEAN," adding that China and ASEAN have maintained regional stability and sustained economic development based on mutual trust." He also emphasized the need for a swift conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, noting that the South China Sea issue is becoming increasingly complex.

China and ASEAN adopted the 'Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea' in 2002, agreeing to resolve territorial disputes in the South China Sea through negotiations. Since this declaration is non-binding, China and ASEAN have been negotiating to establish a concrete implementation plan, the Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct in the South China Sea is interpreted as China's strategic move to counter the new US-led alliance AUKUS. Given that some ASEAN countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia oppose Australia's possession of nuclear-powered submarines, the Chinese leadership intends to jointly respond with these countries.

Premier Li proposed six cooperation measures, including "peace in the South China Sea aligns with the common interests of China and ASEAN," ▲ cooperation in public health such as COVID-19 ▲ strengthening the China-ASEAN economic bloc ▲ joint response to climate change ▲ expansion of the China-ASEAN cooperation fund.

Some in China suggest that China may strengthen the economic bloc with ASEAN and further advance economic cooperation with ASEAN. The Global Times cited experts saying that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, China and ASEAN have steadily worked in the economic sector, including promoting the early implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and that China places great importance on bilateral relations with ASEAN.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Xu Liping, director of the Southeast Asia Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stated, "China strives for bilateral relations such as economic cooperation with ASEAN, but the United States regards ASEAN only as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy to counter China."

US President Joe Biden also held a virtual meeting with ASEAN leaders on the 26th (local time) and announced new support exceeding $100 million (about 116.6 billion KRW) for ASEAN regional development. The newly provided funds will be used for public health sectors and climate change response.

At the meeting, President Biden emphasized, "ASEAN is central to the United States' Indo-Pacific vision," and "ASEAN is a key pillar in maintaining regional security and prosperity." He added, "We want to move forward sharing values and visions with ASEAN countries," and said, "All countries should compete fairly and be governed by law regardless of power."

This is the first time in four years since 2017 that a US president has held a meeting with ASEAN leaders, and it is President Biden's first face-to-face meeting with ASEAN leaders since taking office.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.