Episode: KPN 08-11-2022
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Myanmar issues to be discussed as topagenda at the G20 and APEC summits
The Myanmar issue is at the top in the G20 industrial summit (20) and Asia Pacific Industrial Countries Group APEC conference program, according to The South China Morning Post.
The dialogue is to resolve the issue of Myanmar as soon as possible, where violence is growing. Analysts also said it is an opportunity for the G20 and APEC groups to demonstrate their ability to resolve regional tensions.
Recently, after the military has taken power, the growing violence in Myanmar. In the South China Sea China and Southeast Asia’s territorial issues, issues such as tensions between China and the United States are at the forefront issues in the conference.
Meanwhile, the top diplomats of the 10 ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asian Nations – countries are planning to convene in the Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and for an annual summit, which is also expected to draw world leaders to the region.
In addition, the G20 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summits in Bali and Bangkok, respectively,according to the South China Morning Post.
All eyes are on a possible face-to-face meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on the Indonesian island, a likely highlight of the nine-day stretch of back-to-back summitry.
The issue of Myanmar – which has been plunged into chaos since military leaders seized control in a coup last February – would top the agenda at the Asean summit, which kicks off on November 10.
“There is a sense that [countries] are losing patience with Myanmar,” said Dylan Loh, an assistant professor in foreign policy at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
The regional bloc had in April last year struck a so-called Five Point Consensus with junta leader Min Aung Hlaing as part of efforts to de-escalate violence in the country but the plan has been met with limited success.
Among the key conditions were the immediate cessation of violence and establishing “constructive dialogue among all parties”.
Several Asean nations have in recent months expressed great disappointment over the lack of progress in a peace deal, and in a special meeting among the bloc’s foreign ministers last week, they agreed to hold Myanmar to a “concrete” timeline to end violence in the troubled country. Loh, the assistant professor, said the summit could see Asean – of which Myanmar is a part – take “practical steps” to further sanction the military authorities. This could take the form of barring the appearance of junta officials at a wider range of regional meetings instead of just ministerial-level ones.
Several Asean nations have in recent months expressed great disappointment over the lack of progress in a peace deal, and in a special meeting among the bloc’s foreign ministers last week, they agreed to hold Myanmar to a “concrete” timeline to end violence in the troubled country. The summit could see Asean – of which Myanmar is a part – take “practical steps” to further sanction the military authorities. This could take the form of barring the appearance of junta officials at a wider range of regional meetings instead of just ministerial-level ones.
Loh, an assistant professor in foreign policy at Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
Host nation Cambodia had earlier confirmed that Myanmar’s coup leader Min Aung Hlaing was not invited for the Asean summit, similar to the previous year.
“How far and how hard they want to push [for] the outright suspension of Myanmar remains to be seen,” Loh added. “I would imagine that they do not want to push the button yet.”
There have been growing calls in recent months, including from Human Rights Watch, for Asean to suspend Myanmar’s membership to the bloc entirely.
Chong Ja Ian, associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, agreed that further limiting Myanmar’s participation in the bloc’s gatherings was possible but added that Asean lacked leverage and resources to entice or pressure the junta to cease their attacks and begin negotiations.
Further limiting Myanmar’s participation in the bloc’s gatherings was possible but added that Asean lacked leverage and resources to entice or pressure the junta to cease their attacks and begin negotiations. How far and how hard they want to push [for] the outright suspension of Myanmar remains to be seen. I would imagine that they do not want to push the button yet. There have been growing calls in recent months, including from Human Rights Watch, for Asean to suspend Myanmar’s membership to the bloc entirely.
Chong Ja Ian, associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore
Last month, there were reports of the Myanmar military conducting air strikes on a concert held by a major ethnic rebel group, resulting in around 50 deaths. A local monitoring group estimated that more than 2,300 people have been killed in the military’s crackdown on dissent.
“Asean’s lowest common denominator approach to bringing different governments together may prove too cumbersome to address the complex and evolving circumstances on the ground in Myanmar,” Chong said. “All these limit what the organisation … can do.”
While Loh was not optimistic that Asean would be able to bring Myanmar’s military back to the fold, he said the regional bloc must not be seen as being passive.
“The outcomes could be suboptimal but it must be seen to be proactive. It’s probably one of the most pressing challenges Asean has faced in recent times,” he said. “It’s going to be a very tricky problem.”
Apart from the Myanmar crisis, Southeast Asian leaders were also expected to air concerns over the deepening rivalry between the United States and China, particularly in terms of regional stability, as well as supply chains, technology and trade, Chong said.
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