The Growing Role of ASEAN in the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy

Overall, ASEAN plays a significant role in influencing the effectiveness of the implementation of the US Indo-Pacific Strategy. In terms of geopolitics, ASEAN is located in Southeast Asia connecting the two important oceans in the world as the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The North of ASEAN borders Northeast Asia - an area with many great countries such as China, Japan, Russia and South Korea; to the west is South Asia along the Indian Ocean and the “oil-rich” region of the world - the Middle East; the south is Australia and Oceania, and the east is the vast Pacific Ocean - the west coast of the United States. With such a geographical position, ASEAN can be considered as the center of the Asia-Pacific region what allows ASEAN to control a lot of of the world’s arterial air, land and sea routes [1]. Among these transport routes, the Strait of Malacca, Sunda, Loombok and East Sea play an important role in the security and prosperity of East Asian countries, the United States itself, as well as American’s allies in the Asia-Pacific region because this is not only the shortest sea rout for Japan, South Korea and China to go to the Indian Ocean and the Middle East, but also one of the most important sea routes for the US to approach China, Middle East and Indian Ocean [2]. In the field of economics, ASEAN is an organization of 10 Southeast Asian developing economies. It is the third largest market in Asia with more than 650 million people [3], young population with technology enthusiasts, and worldwide pioneer in providing some basic materials. The industry of ASEAN countries is on the rise, especially in the fields of textiles, electronics and consumer goods. ASEAN is located in the world’s most dynamically developed economic region, which makes the region become an important market for US exports and investments. With the open policy of international economic integration and welcoming investment environment, ASEAN is becoming more and more attractive to trade and foreign investment. In economic relations with the US, ASEAN is the Indo-Pacific ideal destination for US investment. US Foreign Direct Investment – FDI in the region is 329 billion USD, which is larger than the total amount of that in China, Japan, South Korea and India. ASEAN is the fourth largest US goods export market [4]. US exports to ASEAN have created about 500,000 job positions. The US is currently the third largest trading partner of ASEAN with a total trade of more than 234.2 billion USD [5]. In the context of the difficult economic situation in Europe and Japan as well as the US-China trade war, ASEAN is a bright spot for US businesses and investors to seek profits. The United States under former B. Obama’s President has actively promoted relations with ASEAN on the basis of recognizing the economically development role of ASEAN.

In fact, the US and ASEAN have established the partnerships and promoted the economic development cooperation with many programs, initiatives and mechanisms such as the US-ASEAN Connectivity Initiative, the Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs), The US-ASEAN Expanded Economic Engagement Initiative (E3), Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), etc. After President Donald Trump came to power, despite a withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) and abolishment the “pivoting” policy, HRES 311 on US-ASEAN relations has still been enacted to recognize ASEAN’s important position in US foreign policy. Accordingly, the US has made a commitment to strengthen the US-ASEAN strategic partnership, encouraging the strengthening of economic commitments between the US and ASEAN with the removal of trade barriers [6].

About the Role And Influence of ASEAN in The Region From an organization of 5 countries established during the time of Cold War, until now, ASEAN is not only capable of creating important foundations for the development of its state members, but also playing a central role in the regional the cooperation and structural mechanisms in the Indian Ocean - Pacific, attracting many countries, including all great countries as well as many regional organizations, global interest, recognition and active cooperation. Specifically, ASEAN has become an important and indispensable partner in the cooperation mechanism of major countries as well as economic organizations in the Indo-Pacific. Most of regional super countries including China and the United States, have positively assessed the centrality of ASEAN, at least in regional economic integration with cooperation mechanisms such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN+1 and ASEAN+3 mechanisms, etc. At the 34th ASEAN Summit held in Bangkok in June 2019, the ASEAN Perspective on the Indo-Pacific Ocean was adopted. The vision demonstrates the desire to maintain regional stability, ensuring the future for ASEAN and being independent from the wishes of some major powers. This confirms that ASEAN is isolated from any big countries competing for influence in this region. The reason for this competition is that Southeast Asia is located on the trade route between East Asia to the countries of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and India. ASEAN now has a vision to protect the common interests of the region in the context of increasing competition between the US and China. The adoption of the Vision is critical to maintaining ASEAN’s central role in ensuring peace, security and stability in Southeast Asia. The concept of the Indo-Pacific becomes a tool to help ASEAN participate in solving problems in the region, with which ASEAN’s partners and dialogue countries including Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and the United States may support ASEAN’s standpoints [7]

In The Field of National Defense and Security 

ASEAN has successfully attracted most of the major countries in the Indo-Pacific region to join the mechanisms of ASEAN such as Asia-Pacific and elevate ASEAN’s position such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Asia - Europe Summit (ASEM), the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM +), the Association ASEAN Conference with Partners (ASEAN+), East Asia Summit (EAS), Asia Security Summit (Shangri-La Dialogue), etc., contributing to creating a framework for the regional security structure. With these mechanisms, ASEAN - a gathering of small and medium countries - is not only cooperating equally with big countries, but also taking advantage of many resources for the development in most areas of international cooperation such as trade, investment, resource development, science and technology, education, technical assistance, anti-terrorism, capacity building to ensure security – defense, etc.

Not only succeeding in creating and playing a central role in economic cooperation and defense mechanisms, ASEAN has also received recognization by the international community as an active, capable member, and is an intermediary mechanism in addressing regional transnational issues such as sovereignty disputes, maritime security, safety, counterterrorism, arms control, human and drug trafficking, and gas change, logistics, water security, epidemics, migration and asylum, etc. The reality of ASEAN’s development process shows that ASEAN is constantly striving to build a regional structure that takes ASEAN as the center. “ASEAN way” is the typical hallmark of ASEAN that no other Organizations in the world have so far.

In the power structure in Asia - Pacific, ASEAN plays a role of promoting the cooperation on the ASEAN axis, taking ASEAN as a foundation and a center to expand the cooperation. Regional partners accept ASEAN’s code of conduct. This gives ASEAN the political prestige and the international influence. With that position and influence, ASEAN is respected by the US. The U.S. governments, including the administration of President Donald Trump, consistently assert that ASEAN is an important economic partner of the United States, support ASEAN’s central role in the Asia-Pacific regional structure and pledge to continue supporting ASEAN to build a community (Hoa, T. T. 2018). Recently, at the 17th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in 2018, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis reaffirmed America’s commitment to ASEAN’s centrality in the region and assured ASEAN that the India-US- Australia- Japan quadrilateral dialogue mechanism in the Indo-Pacific Strategy does not mean eliminating or diminishing ASEAN’s role.

US Policies on ASEAN under Presidency of Donald Trump

In relations with ASEAN, the Trump administration desires to continue promoting the US-ASEAN strategic partnership, strengthening relations with a number of strategic partners including Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines and Vietnam. During his participation in the US-ASEAN Summit in the Philippines, President Trump pledged his support for ASEAN to play a central role as a regional forum for the comprehensive cooperation, creating a forum for countries in the Indo-Pacific region to address common challenges through strategic dialogues. The US desires as well as supports partners in the ASEAN region to be strong, independent and prosperous under the “Indian-Pacific strategic vision”. While the Obama administration’s approach is to reassure ASEAN countries as well as avoid the direct confrontation with China, the Trump administration’s approach puts China at a front and center position. Therefore, the US considers security - defense as an important factor in the foreign policy for ASEAN. The United States also supports the expanded ASEAN Defense Conference and identifies three focus areas in security and defense cooperation with ASEAN, including maritime security, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, counter-terrorism and anti-terrorism – pirates and human trafficking [8]. From September 2nd to September 7st 2019, the US and ASEAN organized the first joint naval exercise starting at Satahip Thailand Base and ending in Singapore with a focus on ensuring maritime security in the region [9].

Among the projects undertaken in Southeast Asia that the Trump Administration inherited from its predecessor, the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) is the most notable. The LMI has been initiated by the Obama Administration since 2009 to help the five Mekong downstream member countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to cope with regional development challenges to achieve growth in economic cohesion, sustainability and equality. The Obama administration has provided hundreds of millions of dollars to implement projects under the LMI. LMI member countries highly appreciate the LMI, considering it an important tool to further enhance regional cooperation in dealing with the most pressing challenges of the 21st century. Meanwhile, experts consider that the implementation of the LMI helps the US “balance the power” in East Asia and the Lower Mekong region before the rise of China and a mixture of competing elements between the US and other major powers. While helping the United States “increase its influence” in this area [10], despite adjustments in foreign policy, the Trump Administration continues to actively engage in the Lower Mekong region through the LMI with two outstanding activities. The first one is the proposal of the Mekong Water Data Initiative (MWDI) at the 10th LMI member countries’ Foreign Ministers Meeting. The goal of MWDI is to support countries in the Lower Mekong River in collecting, sharing information and serving the sustainable management of Mekong water. Therefore, MWDI of the United States has been welcomed and unanimously implemented by the Lower Mekong countries. Secondly, the active participation of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the 10th LMI Foreign Ministers Meeting and of US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo at the Foreign Ministers Meeting The 11th LMI (August 2018) demonstrates the Trump Administration's interest in the LMI. At the two conferences, the US Secretary of State agreed with the Secretary of the Lower Mekong countries to assess the positive results of the LMI, which is the overall approach of cooperation to ensure the security of water, food and energy sources, addressing environmental challenges, building capacity through training in various fields. In addition, the two US Secretary of State and Foreign Ministers of the Lower Mekong countries “re-committed to the development of the LMI and re-emphasized the importance of the LMI as a key driver for the connectivity and integration,” economic cooperation, sustainable development, and good governance in the Lower Mekong sub-region. The implementation of LMI as well as other projects in Southeast Asia sponsored by the US is a way to enhance the soft power and influence of the US in the region. Therefore, the Trump administration’s engagement activities for Southeast Asia are a continuation of its predecessor’s policies despite some adjustments and additions to the approach and mode of operation. This engagement is for counterbalancing China and protecting US interests in the region in implementing the Indo-Pacific strategy.

The United States continues engaging fully and strongly in the multilateral mechanisms in the region, consolidating relations with key security partners in Southeast Asia: The United States continues cooperating with the multilateral defense-security institutions in the region, seeking new opportunities for the multilateral cooperation mechanisms to come into force, including ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms such as ARF, ADMM+, EAS to protect the common principles. The United States stands for ASEAN’s central role in the regional security structure, supports ASEAN’s unity and strength to ensure the region is free, free from coercion and ensures respect for international law. The United States will restore allied relations with the Philippines and Thailand, and promote relations with new partners.

In relations with the Philippines 

The US committed to maintain the agreements reached by the two sides previously such as the mutual defense treaty between the US and the Philippines on August 30st, 1951 when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in March 2019 affirmed, “The East Sea is part of the Pacific, any armed attack on the Philippines’ Army, ships, aircraft in the South China Sea will force the United States to exercise responsibility under Article IV of the Mutual Defense Treaty” Agreement to strengthen Defense Cooperation signed on April 28, 2014 in Manila, which allows the US Army to access important Philippine facilities such as Antonio Bautista Air Base, Basa, Lumbia, Mactan Benito Ebuen and Base of Fort Magsaysay Reserve Force. Regarding defense-security cooperation, the United States continues supporting the Philippines against Islamic extremists linked to ISIS in the city of Marawi in 2017. The US adviser remains in the region until now to support the Philippine Army. In 2019, the two countries’ military had 280 bilateral cooperation activities, including joint exercises between the Philippine Army and the Indo-Pacific Command to enhance the ability to coordinate combat between the army. The two countries deal with crisis situations in the region. The Department of Defense is working with the Philippines Army to implement a 15-year modernization plan for the Philippine Army to focus on improving territorial defenses.

In Relations with Thailand 

Right from the start, President Trump made a call to Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha and vowed to push relations between the two countries to a new level ever with the resuming arms sales, high-level delegation exchange with Thailand after a long hiatus after a military coup in Thailand in May 2014. The United States pledged to maintain and respect the agreements signed by the two sides, such as the Military Respect Agreement signed by the governments of the two countries on October 17, 1950; Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty signed on September 8, 1954 in Manila; Significant allied status outside of NATO in 2003 and other related bilateral security agreements, including the Joint Declaration on the Vision of Thai-American Defense Allies signed in Bangkok on November 15st, 2012. Regarding defense and security, the cooperation, the two sides pledged to continue cooperation to enhance regional security assurance and deal with community health challenges; combating transnational crime, trafficking in persons, wildlife, drugs, assisting migrants and the disabled. The two countries currently have 130 military cooperation activities each year including the Golden Cobra Military Exercise. Thailand is considered by the United States to be a key geostrategic nation in the Indo-Pacific region. Thailand has allowed the US to use Utapao Airport and Satahip Base to serve logistical support and rescue operations.

In Relations with Indonesia 

The US continues to fulfill its Comprehensive Partnership commitment and the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Defense Cooperation. In defense and security cooperation, the United States continues to maintain its focus with Indonesia to improve its coordination capability based on the F-16 aircraft and Apache attack helicopters that Indonesia has bought from the United States. Every year the two countries maintain 200 bilateral military cooperation activities. Indonesia is one of the major IMET scholarship countries in the Indo-Pacific region to improve the skills of the Navy, the Army, the Air Force and the Coast Guard for Indonesia. The US and Indonesia are currently negotiating cooperation in the fields of defense industry, arms trade, technology transfer, research cooperation and logistical support.

In Relations with Malaysia

The United States wishes to realize the Joint Statement on the strengthening of the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries. The two countries continue to maintain defense cooperation, with more than 100 bilateral defense cooperation activities every year, including joint exercises, maritime security and counterterrorism. The United States and Malaysia have strengthened their coordination capability through joint training in air force and amphibious operations. Highlights in defense relations of the two countries are joint exercises of CARAT and SECAT, improving the capacity of Malaysia’s law enforcement forces at sea; providing sensors for Malaysian marine monitoring systems; send advisers on maritime security to Malaysia to train to improve maritime security capabilities.

In Relations with Singapore 

The US continues promoting the implementation of the Strategic Framework Agreement for a closer partnership in defense and security (December 2005) and the Agreement to strengthen defense cooperation. In Southeast Asia, the US considers Singapore to be an “Important Security Partnership”, allowing US warships and military aircraft, including the P-8 Poseidon, to regularly visit Singapore for security and the stability in Southeast Asia, continuing to ensure the free and open Indo-Pacific region. The United States supports pilot training for fighters and enhances the ability to coordinate combat between the two countries’ air forces. On September 23st, 2019, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong signed an extension of an additional 15 years of agreement to allow the US to use air and naval facilities in Singapore. This proves that Singapore supports the US military presence in Asia-Pacific, which is an important factor to maintain peace, stability and prosperity for the region.

In Relations with Vietnam 

The US is making efforts to implement the Joint Vision Statement on defense relations (June 2015) and the Vietnam-US Joint Vision Statement (May 2017). In the Indo-Pacific Strategy, the US considers Vietnam to be one of the important pillars of its policy implementation. This is the reason why US President Donald Trump chose Vietnam to announce the Indo-Pacific Vision at the APEC Meeting held in Danang in November 2017. From that time on, the US has actively taken measures to promote relations and entice Vietnam. One of the key points in bilateral relations is to upgrade the bilateral relations from comprehensive relations to “strategic partnerships”. Under President Trump, exchange of high-level delegations was focused on promoting. In May 2017, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc became the first Southeast Asian leader to visit the US under President Trump. From 11-12 November 2017, President Trump made a state visit to Vietnam after attending the APEC Conference in Da Nang. Currently, the US side wishes to welcome the President and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to visit the US in the near future. In defense and security, the cooperation, this is considered a bright spot in bilateral relations under President Trump. In March 2018, the US aircraft came to Vietnam for the first time since the Vietnam War against the US. Recently, the US Department of Defense strengthened cooperation to improve defenses for Vietnam through the sale of 6 unmanned vending machines Scan Eagle, T-6 training aircraft, high-speed patrol boats, ships small patrol and UAV replacement and repair parts, support equipment, tools, and training and technical support field services. The US Department of Defense helps the Vietnamese military forces deploy a UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan and continues supporting and assisting its deployment in the future. The two sides worked hard to deal with issues related to the aftermath of the war, such as cleaning up dioxin, clearing bombs and mines and finding Americans missing in the war. The United States sponsors and launches initiatives to help countries in the region improve their security capacity. The US has announced a 300 million USD ASEAN assistance package for Southeast Asia. Of which, 290.5 million USD will be used to build maritime security capacity, humanitarian relief, natural disaster mitigation and peacekeeping; $ 8.5 million as an international law enforcement fund to combat transnational drug crimes. This security aid fund covers Bangladesh, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pacific Island countries, Philippines, Vietnam and some other areas. In addition, the Trump administration has implemented the “Maritime Security Initiative” (MSI), which aims to build and enhance maritime capacity for allied countries and partners in the region with the budget of 425 million USD for the first 5 years [11]; redefine the “Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative” to become the “Indo-Pacific Ocean Security Initiative” with scope extending to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, etc., to enhance security at sea and guarding the waters in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean. The U.S. Congress also passed the Defense Expenditure Proposition in 2019, under which the United States will re-establish Fleet 2, build 6 more icebreakers to deploy in the Arctic region and strengthen the deployment of forces in the state. Alaska, newly built 1 aircraft carrier and 7 surface ships. The US permanent forces in the Western Pacific region will be strengthened by many modern ships, aircraft and vehicles, and the United States will also deploy two combat aircraft carriers simultaneously in the East China Sea and South China Sea expected to start after 2023.

Against Terrorism

Some terrorist forces after being attacked have gradually moved to Southeast Asia, home to the Muslim countries and the largest Muslim population in the world. The extermination of regional terrorist organizations is a real and urgent need for the US and other countries. The US also sees this as a measure to engage and influence the region. Through the multilateral forums such as APEC, ASEAN Summit, bilateral meetings, the US emphasized the need to coordinate anti-terrorism and gather forces to seek the possibility of opening more anti-IS fronts in Southeast Asia. The Director of National Intelligence, the National Security Adviser, the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of Defense, in collaboration with the Military and Foreign Affairs Committee of both the Senate and House of Representatives, formulate a capacity assessment report and activities of organizations affiliated with ISIS and al-Qaeda as well as extremist groups or elements in Southeast Asia, especially jihadists returning from the Middle East create potential dangers for the United States, its allies and US citizens abroad, since then, together with governments of Southeast Asian countries, have put together measures to build capacity to deal with these terrorist organizations. In fact, the Trump administration has stepped up to help the Philippines in its fight against terrorism in Malawi, taking it as a model in cooperation with Islamic extremist forces and demonstrate its strength and US responsibility with its allies.

Joe Biden has officially taken over as US President from his predecessor D.Trump  in the context that the US is facing many new security and political problems domestically and abroad, especially the high level of polarization and social unrest, along with the economic and public health challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the situation of the biggest country competition is the strategic competition of the US - China, the US - Russia has not shown any signs of cooling down, the US has to adjust its policies to entice and compete for influence with ASEAN and other member countries. Putting ASEAN at the center of the implementation of the Indo-Pacific strategy by the US will give ASEAN the opportunity to strengthen the cooperation with the US in many fields instead of just focusing on the national defense and security fields today. However, the pragmatic and immediate decisions of the US under President D.Trump partly eroded ASEAN’s confidence in bilateral commitments. More importantly, the US and ASEAN have different strategic priorities. The US tends to approach and entice ASEAN to share America’s top priorities in Asia, which are denuclearization on the Korean peninsula and containing China. Meanwhile, ASEAN countries advocate an independent and multilateral foreign policy, harmonizing relations with major countries, including China. It is this strategic difference that may become a barrier limiting the cooperation relation between the US and ASEAN. In addition to the difference in values ​​of freedom, democracy, and human rights. The US often expresses concern regarding issues of freedom, democracy and human rights of some Southeast Asian countries, while ASEAN operates on the principle of consensus and does not interfere in each other's internal affairs with their own views and stances on democracy and human rights in the region. This challenge will create a significant obstacle in the promotion of US-ASEAN relations as well as in policy making towards ASEAN by incumbent President Joe Biden.

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3. General Political Bureau. Textbook of International Relations. People's Army Publishing House, 2018, pp. 74.

4. US Embassy in Vietnam. United States–ASEAN Sustainable Partnership, 2019.

5. US Embassy in Vietnam. United States–ASEAN Sustainable Partnership, 2019.

6. Thanh, V.L. “US Policy on ASEAN under President Donald Trump.” Online National Defense, 2018, http://m.tapchiqptd.vn.

7. Antara Newspaper. “ASEAN vision pacific - pacific of ASEAN: A message for the great powers.” 2019.

8. Asia Reassurance Initiative Act of 2018. 2018.

9. Tuoi Tre Newspaper. “US-ASEAN joint naval exercises.” 2019.

10. Tinh, D.L. “US–Lower mekong cooperation: Beyond the traditional power balance.” International Studies Magazine, no. 85, 2011.

11. Son, H. “US Launch Southeast Asia sea security initiative.” South China Sea Research Network, 2016, http://nghiencuubiendong.vn/nghien-cuu-nuoc-ngoai/5808-my-khoi-dong-sang-kien-an-ninh-bien-dong-nam-a.