30 March 2015 —The Philippine hosting of the 27th ASEAN-Australia Forum held from March 25 to 26 at Dusit Thani Manila witnessed the first senior official-level meeting between ASEAN and Australia as Strategic Partners.
This followed the adoption of the “Joint ASEAN-Australia Leaders’ Statement on the 40th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations Towards a Strategic Partnership for Mutual Benefit” in November 2014, during the ASEAN-Australia Commemorative Summit which saw the elevation of ASEAN-Australia dialogue relations to the strategic level.
The Forum was co-chaired by Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Policy Evan P. Garcia and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Deputy Secretary Greg Moriarty. They led an assembly of senior official leaders (SOM Leaders) and delegates from 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS), the ASEAN Secretariat and Australia.
Regional security challenges
ASEAN and Australia shared views on key international and regional developments, emphasizing that regional security challenges remain a core concern even as ASEAN heads towards integration by December 2015.
“An interesting question for us to ponder is how developments in Australia, our region and the world would impact on our new Strategic Partnership, especially today, in the context of ongoing tensions and potential dangers that confront our regional security environment,” said Undersecretary Garcia in his opening statement.
“The most important of such regional problems center on the various disputes in the South China Sea (SCS),” seconded DFA Assistant Secretary Luis T. Cruz, who is also Director-General of the ASEAN-Philippines National Secretariat. He elaborated that “reclamation activities, by threatening to irreversibly alter the regional status quo and to upset the regional balance, may undermine the effectivity and relevance of the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct in the South China Sea (DOC) and any eventual Code of Conduct in the SCS (COC).”
Deputy Secretary Moriarty, meanwhile, shared ASEAN’s interest in the regional order and “a rules-based approach” towards SCS, and called on parties to practice “self-restraint” in the conduct of activities over the disputed area. He also reiterated Australia’s support for dispute resolution mechanisms in accordance with international law, including through arbitration under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Strengthening politico-security cooperation
In order to move forward the new ASEAN-Australia Strategic Partnership, Deputy Secretary Moriarty proposed to strengthen politico-security cooperation, recognizing the “overall strategic purpose of ASEAN centrality and cohesiveness in encouraging regional norms and rules.”
Specific areas for enhanced cooperation may include maritime issues, human rights, post-conflict peace-building, countering violence and extremism, terrorism, transnational crime, trafficking in persons, money laundering and practical defense cooperation linkages.
Pursuing economic and socio-cultural linkages
Even as politico-security cooperation gains prominence, economic and socio-cultural linkages remain vital to the ASEAN-Australia Strategic Partnership.
Australia hopes to build on regional economic integration through the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA), the anticipated Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and its development cooperation programs.
Renewed attention is also being given to disaster management and people-to-people exchanges. Australia is granting generous scholarships to citizens of AMS to enable them to study in its universities. It is also expanding the New Colombo Plan, in which Australian youth are encouraged to study in developing countries, including in ASEAN, in order to expand their horizons.
Likewise, Deputy Secretary Moriarty announced that Australia “will launch a new ASEAN-Australia Council to support activities that enhance awareness links and understanding within our people and our institutions.”
Last Philippine hosting as country coordinator
As a fitting sign-off for the last Philippine hosting of an ASEAN-Australia meeting, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra String Quartet performed a short program of Filipino music for the SOM Leaders and their delegations. They also gave a much applauded rendition of the popular Australian song, “Waltzing Matilda.”
“Your guidance and collegiality have been outstanding,” Deputy Secretary Moriarty declared as he placed on record Australia’s deep appreciation for the Philippines, as Australia's country coordinator and partner for many of ASEAN-related endeavors over the past three years.
The Philippines is due to conclude its country coordinatorship during the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference (PMC) Session with Australia, which is tentatively scheduled on 05 August 2015. END