Asian AngleAmid China tensions, Australia and Asean must iron out hard issues to preserve regional stability

Australia and Japan can help Asean leverage Australian and the Quad’s resources to manage the more assertive aspects of China’s regional behaviour

Canberra must also step up efforts to nurture its trade ties with Asean to ensure sustained relevance in their economic relationship

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Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) shakes hands with Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, during the Asean-Australia Special Summit in Melbourne, Australia, on March 6. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:00am, 17 Mar 2024

Over the past five decades, the strategic relationship between Asean and Australia has evolved significantly. Marked by deepening cooperation and partnership across a broad spectrum of issue areas including security, economic development, education and cultural exchange, this relationship is underpinned by shared interests in promoting regional stability, prosperity, and addressing transnational challenges.

Both the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Australia are part of various bilateral and multilateral frameworks aimed at enhancing regional architecture and fostering a conducive environment for open dialogue and mutual benefit. Australia now recognises Asean’s centrality in the Indo-Pacific.

Yet even after the recent 50th anniversary celebrations at the Asean-Australia Special Summit held from March 4 to 6, Asean and Australia continue to face heightened risks as the international order veers towards multipolarity amid polycrisis.

(From left) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden and Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Point Loma naval base in San Diego, California, on March 13, 2023. Photo: AP

Asean member states are wary of the upgrading of US formal alliances and the advent of minilateral groupings such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (comprising Australia, Japan, India and the United States) and the trilateral Australia-UK-US (Aukus) arrangements. These trends intensify the risk of conflict between US-led alliances and groupings versus China.