Asean Community is here

Sensing the urgency, Laos, the next Asean chair, was quick to pick up the official theme of “Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic Asean Community,” during the handover ceremony yesterday. Vientiane knows full well what to do next year—to finalize all plans of action in the Asean Vision 2025—the so-called unfinished business. For Laos, priority areas are still bridging development gap between old and new members, promotion of small and medium enterprises and sustainable tourism. These are doable objectives for the next chair.

After all, Laos is expected to graduate from the less development country’s list in 2020. US President Barrack Obama has already told Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammvong after the US-Asean summit that he would attend the 29th summit in Vientiane from 6-9 September 2016 before he ends his second term. Deep down, he would like his planned visit to impact positively in the land-locked country.

This time around, the Asean summit was completely overwhelmed by the tragedy of various terrorist attacks in Egypt, France, and Mali. Akin to the September 11, 2001 incident, all countries attending the related summits were of the same mind and determination on this struggle against extremism. Kudos must go to Prime Minister Najib Razak who has been quite skillful in chairing Asean, granted the ever-present domestic pressure resulting from alleged corruption charges. Najib has been able to highlight the Asean achievements and solidarity on all fronts, especially issues related to major powers. The Asean leaders were united on South China Sea and fighting extremism.

The Asean leaders understand remaining obstacles they still have to overcome to completely integrate the AC into an inclusive and seamless community with competitiveness and leverage in the global settings. But they have not yet really come to term with their domestic constituencies on specific issues and measures. That helps explain why only the economic pillar remains unfulfilled while the political/security as well as social/cultural pillars were given full marks. The remaining 37 out of 506 action plans sticking out like a sore thumb in the Asean Economic Community blueprints. Now with the Asean Vision 2015, Asean must complete this task and move to the next level.

While the AC is still work in progress with some hiccups, foreign investors have no patience as they want to establish footholds and take advantage of the world’s seventh largest economy. Figure the UN Trade and Development Program showed that Asean attracted roughly US$138 billion, the biggest direct foreign investment of the developing countries including China. The region also has a huge capital of US$10 trillion that private sector can mobilize to fund infrastructures and connectivity-related projects. Among the Asean members, Myanmar’s economic growth would be the highest in years to come at nearly 8-9 per cent.

In fact, Myanmar’s successful election and peaceful political transition has been the hallmark of 28th Asean meeting. During his three-day visit in Kuala Lumpur, Obama has repeatedly praised Myanmar’s political and economic reforms. He told President Thein Sein on Saturday during the bilateral meeting that he wanted to return to Myanmar once again at the earliest possible date before the settling of a new government. He also plans to meet the president, Dawn Aung San Suu Kyi and the army chief, Min Aung Hlaing at the same time to show the US appreciation of their contribution to peaceful transition in Myanmar. Foreign Minister Wanna Maung Lwin responded that the president could visit the country any time. For him, Myanmar is the most recognizable foreign policy’s achievement of his presidency.

Obama also used his speech at a gathering of Asean business leaders to promote the virtue of Tran Pacific Partnership (TPP) reiterating it is more than just a trade pact as it is also a long-term investment in security and universal human rights, much to the chagrins of those who did not come from TPP member countries.

All told, the AC that the Asean leaders envisage would become a reality only when they can convince their own citizens including their law makers of the benefits all would gain. Furthermore, they must also be able to engage with the outside world, in particular the major powers in ways that would promote not only its interest and global’s as well. The strengthening of Asean centrality in the premier region-wide security platform, East Asia Summit, is also imperative to maintain the game changing role of Asean in regional and global politics.