Link to article: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/asean-kicks-off-its-first-ever-joint-military-drills-indonesia-2023-09-19/
ASEAN countries have initiated their first-ever joint military drills in Indonesia’s South Natuna Sea amidst increasing geopolitical tensions and protests against China’s actions in the South China Sea. This five-day operation aims to enhance military skills, including maritime security, patrols, and humanitarian assistance. All 10 ASEAN members, including East Timor, a prospective member, are participating. “This is not a combat operation because ASEAN is more focused on economics. The training is more about social activities,” Yudo Margono, Indonesia’s military chief says. The initial location for the drills was changed due to sensitivities, as it overlapped with disputed waters claimed by China in their “10 line dash” map, a map which expands its claims to cover around 90% of the South China Sea, which was released last month. Despite the creation of this map, The Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam rejected China’s claims. ASEAN has been struggling to make progress on a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea despite discussions spanning over two decades. When asked about the escalating geopolitical tensions, Margono stated that the drills were “non-combat in nature”.
The joint military drills conducted by ASEAN countries in the South Natuna Sea hold significant importance for the region and carry broader implications for the geopolitical landscape. Amidst rising tensions and protests against China’s expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, this collaborative effort signals ASEAN’s commitment to enhancing regional security and cooperation. These joint drills, while non-combative in nature, serve as a diplomatic tools to foster cooperation and mitigate potential conflicts in a region where economic and strategic interests intersect, ultimately aiming for a more stable and secure trading zone in the South China Sea. This article is important because it highlights the relations between ASEAN countries as well as China, which can be considered a global superpower. This status as a global superpower could lead to China interfering with the member nations as well as the drills that take place there, which could escalate tensions even more and cause conflicts between ASEAN and China. I believe that China is simply taking precautions to make sure that their trade cannot be interfered with, so there is no reason to become irritated with their policies.
This relates to what we have been discussing in class because ASEAN is an IGO, or an intergovernmental organization, and it was interfering with China, which is a global superpower. Geopolitical issues, such as this one, cannot be ignored by any of the governments that are involved because the South China Sea is a key location with trade that reaches all corners of the world, including ASEAN countries and China. The themes of diplomacy are very strong here, as many conflicts could arise if a diplomatic solution is not taken to this dispute.