The US will discuss major international challenges with ASEAN countries

2023-09-01 15:15:29, Kosova & Bota CNA

Territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the crisis in Myanmar and the war in Ukraine are key issues to be addressed by Vice President Kamala Harris at next week's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In a recent visit last year to Southeast Asia, Vice President Kamala Harris condemned Beijing's aggressive actions in the region and made a stop on the Philippine island of Palawan, about 330 kilometers east of the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

In Jakarta, Indonesia, next week at the meeting with ASEAN leaders, Ms. Harris will also talk about vital sea lanes, which are claimed by China, Taiwan and four ASEAN member countries, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

"Vice President Harris will also discuss the situation in the South China Sea during her meetings in Jakarta. It will reaffirm our support for freedom of maritime navigation, the peaceful resolution of disputes and respect for international law, including freedom of navigation," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Among other important topics is the crisis in Myanmar, where thousands of people have been killed and millions more displaced since a military coup in 2021. ASEAN has failed to force the member state to return to democracy. Nor have the various international sanctions, including those from the United States, brought results.

"In Myanmar, we must put pressure on the military regime to stop the violence, implement ASEAN's five-point plan and support a return to democratic governance," says Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Ms Harris is also expected to condemn Russian aggression in Ukraine. As in the cases of the situations in Myanmar and the South China Sea, ASEAN's response has not been very strong, expressing only concerns about the consequences of the war without denouncing Russia, an important supplier of arms to the region.

Some experts in the region have also raised the question of President Biden's absence from the meeting.

"Maybe it's a slap in the face for Indonesia. Because if we look at Indonesia's main agenda for the meeting, it is actually the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Forum, which the United States will not participate in," says Idil Syawfi of the Parahyangan Center for International Studies.

The meeting of the leaders of the ASEAN countries in Jakarta will deal with another important challenge. The Indonesian capital has been one of the most polluted cities in the world this month, as authorities grapple with an increase in toxic smog./ VOA