Australian foreign minister focuses on security ahead of Asean summit

VISITING AUSTRALIAN Foreign Minister Julie Bishop yesterday called on Asean to tackle rising tensions on the Korean peninsula ahead of tomorrow’s Asean ministerial meetings in Manila.
“We recognise challenges must be embraced by like-minded countries,” Bishop said. “North Korea presents threats in this region and beyond. It will take a number of countries to work on [it].” 
Bishop spoke before Asean ministerial meetings in Manila, which will be attended by ministers from 10 Asean states and several Asean partners, including Australia, the United States and China. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is expected to seek greater cooperation to sanction North Korea, which last Friday launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, putting Asia-Pacific countries on the alert. 

Tillerson will raise issues relating to the nuclear programme on the peninsula, South China Sea conflicts and terrorism during meetings in Manila, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur next week. 
Bishop will also underline the same issues during the Philippine meetings, including the Asean-Australia Ministerial Meeting. “The region faces challenges and a shift of power. There is also rising tension in the South China Sea,” she said. “It tests norms and rules about security and prosperity. The rule-based order in the region is essential to maintain these norms.” 
Under close observation by the US, the Declaration of Conduct in the contested sea was declared in 2002 between China and Asean, but its non-binding nature has been enough to tone down tensions between claimants. 
In Manila, a draft of framework of the long-sought Code of Conduct (CoC) will be considered by Asean and Chinese ministers, paving the way for actual negotiations on the CoC. 
Prior to the Asean meetings, Bishop arrived in Thailand on Wednesday to strengthen Thailand-Australia diplomatic ties, which will realise their 65th anniversary this year. 
She also paid respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, opened the new Australian Embassy in Bangkok and consulate in Phuket, and planned discussions with Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and top Thai officials.

At the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok yesterday, she signed a bilateral agreement on air traffic services with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and provided a special lecture on Asean’s 50th anniversary to be celebrated on Tuesday. 

She identified multilateral successes such as the Asean-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Asean-Australia Development Cooperation Program and the Australia-Asia Program to Combat Trafficking in Persons. 
The 2010 FTA was Australia’s first, involving multiple countries. In 2015, the overall GDP of the 12 countries involved hit US$3.9 trillion (Bt130 trillion), contributing $120 billion to Australia. 
Thailand also has had a bilateral FTA with Australia since 2005 and has more than doubled trade between the two countries since its implementation. Thailand’s trade volume with Australia of 20.8 billion Australian dollars (Bt584.4 billion) in 2015 resulted from the elimination of almost all Thai tariffs on imports from Australia. 
Bishop also emphasised the |New Colombo Plan, which enables Australian undergraduates to |study and take internships in |the Indo-Pacific region. Over the first four years, it supported about 17,500 students to complete overseas studies.