In Asia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) began its first military exercises in the region without the presence of countries outside the bloc. It’s a first. These exercises lasted five days in Indonesian waters and ended this Saturday, September 23, against a backdrop of growing tensions in the neighboring South China Sea.
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From our correspondent in Southeast Asia,
Ten member states of the bloc but also East Timor, a candidate to join the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, participated in these exercises.
In the past, theAsean had organized military exercises, but multinational ones with the United States in particular, and other partners. The difference is that this week’s exercise was the first that involved only current and potential bloc members.
On this occasion, Burma was present in a more or less symbolic way, that is to say only as an observer. A representative of the country made the trip during the opening ceremony. As a reminder, since 2021, Burma has been in the hands of the military junta and Asean’s efforts to defuse the crisis are struggling to achieve concrete progress.
More globally, ” This week’s exercises focused primarily on maritime security, disaster response, and rescue operations, rather than combat exercises. “, explained Asean. Words that are not really trivial.
The location of these exercises changed
The location where the exercises were to be held was changed amid tensions with China, in the South China Sea. The military exercises were to take place in the Indonesian exclusive economic zone surrounding the Natuna Islands, except that in this region there are also maritime claims from China. These demands symbolized by a famous map of Beijing, that of the “ 9 line », in the South China Sea.
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China sometimes sends patrols to the region, to assert its historic claim. But these demands are creating tensions with bloc countries.
Just recently, the Philippines condemned the Chinese coast guard for following its boats supplying Philippine troops on an uninhabited atoll in the Spratly Islands, the scene of tensions and demands. For its part, Indonesia has also protested on several occasions against the presence of Chinese boats in its exclusive economic zone.
Indonesia at odds with China’s allies
In this matter of Asean military exercises, the Indonesians seem to be walking on eggshells. Last June, Indonesia, head of ASEAN this year, moved the operation to undisputed waters, near Batam. According to an Indonesian military spokesperson, the new site was better suited to conducting disaster relief operations. But several reports suggest that this change of venue occurred due to disagreements within Asean.
Cambodia, China’s closest partner in Southeast Asia, would have opposed holding the exercises in the disputed waters, for fear that it would harm relations between China and Asean. And this week, Indonesian statements sought to smooth out the angles.
“ This is not a combat operation as Asean is more economically focused », declared the Indonesian military leader at the opening ceremony of the exercises on the island of Batam, aware that the rise in geopolitical tensions is still in the background.
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