 SOUTHEAST ASIA

ASEAN leaders adopt Indonesia-

led Indo-Pacific outlook
 Dian Septiari

The Jakarta Post

Bangkok / Sun, June 23, 2019 / 04:26 pm

After more than a year of discussions, ASEAN leaders finally adopted a document
outlining its geostrategic concept of the Indo-Pacific region, in which the bloc
emphasized its centrality amid the competing major powers.

The document, “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific" was adopted in the plenary
session of the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on Saturday evening.

The adoption was concluded despite a rumor last week that Singapore wanted more
time to discuss the matter.

Proposed by Indonesia, the outlook is intended to serve as the guideline for ASEAN
in engaging its external partners, including the rivaling superpowers of the United
States and China.

“This outlook represents the centrality and force of ASEAN in upholding the
principles of peacekeeping, fostering a culture of dialogue and strengthening
cooperation," President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said at the meeting.

He said the outlook was increasingly relevant to the world's developments, as the
trade war between the US and China had not shown any signs of
reconcilement and as there was “a concern that the trade war is growing into a multi-
front war" that could have an impact on the security and stability of the region.

An Indo-Pacific concept is an evolving strategic concept for a vast regional

architecture that underpins the area straddling the Indian and Pacific oceans,
interpretations of which vary depending on the geopolitical interests of countries in
the region.

The term was popularized by United States President Donald Trump when he laid
out America’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific in Vietnam in 2017, even
though the idea of it has been around since 2003.
Following the US, many countries have set their sights on the region and developed
their own concepts, from India’s Act East Policy and Japan’s Free and Open Indo-
Pacific to Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper and South Korea’s New Southern
Policy.

Observers have said the concept was aimed at containing Chinese expansion with
its multibillion dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to Southeast Asia.

Situated in the center of the region, Indonesia has been pushing for ASEAN to have
its own stance on the matter.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the five-page document detailed the key
elements and goals of the outlook, as well as the principles and possible areas of
cooperation.

At the time of writing, journalists have yet to receive the five-page document.

“From now on, when we discuss the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN as a whole has a
perspective on what the elements are, what the principle is and what cooperation we
want. In this outlook the spirit is to maintain ASEAN centrality, promote a culture of
dialogue and cooperation and maintain peace,” she said.

Indonesia has maintained that an ASEAN-led Indo-Pacific regional architecture

should be discussed at the East Asia Summit (EAS), consisting of the ten ASEAN
member states and all countries that have Indo-Pacific concepts of their own.

Retno said the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific was an independent perspective that
did not close to the possibility of cooperation with outside parties.

“Our Indo-Pacific outlook will be our guideline for ASEAN to enhance cooperation
with other parties in meetings using the ASEAN mechanism,” she said.