Illustration: Liu Rui/GT
The Nay Pyi Taw Declaration, issued at the recent ASEAN summit hosted for the first time by Myanmar, stresses realizing the ASEAN Community by 2015, strengthening ASEAN's internal unity, and consolidating ASEAN's role in regional peace, stability and prosperity. Through ASEAN-led institutions, the group's leaders seek to build mutually beneficial partnerships.
The South China Sea issue dominated the recent summit, given the escalating tensions after Philippine police seized a Chinese fishing boat and its crew fishing on China's Half Moon Shoal and Vietnam disturbed the routine drilling of a Chinese oil rig in the South China Sea.
ASEAN foreign ministers expressed serious concern over the developments in the disputed waters, and called for self-constraint and an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). But it should be noted that they neither directly mentioned China or specific names of disputed islands, nor did they give a timetable with respect to the COC.
Compared with the joint statement by the ministers, the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration did not even mention directly the recent tensions in the South China Sea. Although Vietnam and the Philippines sought a tougher attitude against China, the declaration avoided picking a side. This shows Myanmar, chairing ASEAN this year, made the utmost efforts to coordinate ASEAN's position during the summit.
As to the South China Sea disputes, while most ASEAN countries avoided siding with one claimant against another, Vietnam and the Philippines required ASEAN to issue a statement condemning China for "invading their territorial waters," which put Myanmar in a quandary.
While Hanoi and Manila kept badgering, Myanmar and ASEAN as a whole were forced to spend more time on the South China Sea issue, and hoped China could show more tolerance.
But meanwhile, Myanmar and ASEAN understand China's determination on territorial issues and that Beijing won't give up its core interests under external pressure. China has also emphasized that the South China Sea issue is not a problem between China and ASEAN.
As ASEAN chair this year, Myanmar has to protect the group's internal solidarity. It allows the Philippines and Vietnam to lobby for stronger actions against China, but it is also clear that Myanmar cannot afford irritating Beijing or worsening relations with China. Due to geopolitical and geoeconomic considerations, Myanmar has to stick to a neutral stance and engage in collaboration to prevent the situation from further escalation.
The economic dependence of Myanmar, especially its northern areas, on China is apparent. Myanmar wants to embark on the Chinese economic express to boost its own modernization. For the foreseeable future, Myanmar will not side with or plan with any another country to oppose China. Despite its growing position in the international arena, Nay Pyi Taw still sees China as an important game changer.
Similarly, ASEAN also needs China's support for its development and integration. At the moment, ASEAN and China are promoting and implementing a series of significant cooperation plans, including opening talks on upgrading the China-ASEAN free trade agreement, establishing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and promoting financial cooperation and risk control in this region. China firmly supports ASEAN's growth and dominance in regional cooperation, and ASEAN in turn doesn't want to see the South China Sea issue undermine China-ASEAN friendship.
Myanmar needs to enhance communication with relevant parties on the South China Sea issue, and help ASEAN safeguard the bottom line of staying neutral.
Myanmar must also make more efforts in promoting ASEAN's internal integration and narrowing the gap among ASEAN members in their domestic development. These are responsibilities that Myanmar has to fulfill as the 2014 ASEAN chair.
The author is a professor at the School of International Studies at Yunnan University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn