ASEAN Explained: Asia's Version of the European Union? - TLDR News

Summary

ASEAN, established in 1967, is an economic and political union of 10 Southeast Asian nations aimed at fostering regional stability and cooperation. Initially, it faced challenges due to mutual suspicions but later evolved, signing the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in 1976. This led to economic prosperity, with GDP growth averaging 15% annually from 1976 to 1982. ASEAN expanded in the 80s and 90s, adopting a non-interference policy. However, recent events like the Rohingya crisis and Myanmar's military coup have tested this policy, with ASEAN taking unprecedented steps to address internal issues, reflecting a potential shift in its approach to regional governance.

Takeaways

• 🌏 ASEAN is an economic union of 10 Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• 🔄 ASEAN was preceded by ASA and MAFALINDO, which were earlier attempts at regional cooperation that didn't last long due to national interests and mutual suspicions.
• 🗓️ ASEAN was established in 1967 with the signing of the Declaration of Bangkok, aiming to promote economic cooperation and regional peace and security.
• 🏛️ The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in 1976 was a significant revamp for ASEAN, introducing a framework for dispute settlements and expanding cooperation to include national resilience.
• 📈 ASEAN has been successful in maintaining regional stability and fostering economic growth, with an average annual GDP growth of 15% from 1976 to 1982.
• 📊 The ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) in 1992 aimed to eliminate internal tariffs between member states, but without a common external tariff.
• 📋 The ASEAN Charter in 2007 aimed to create a single market for the region, although ASEAN's influence was still limited by its non-interference policy.
• 🚫 ASEAN's non-interference policy has been challenged, particularly in response to the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and the military coup.
• 🛑 In October 2021, ASEAN took a significant step by disinviting Myanmar from its annual summit, marking a potential shift in its non-interference stance.
• 🤔 ASEAN is at a crossroads, needing to decide whether to maintain its non-interference policy or take a more active role in regional issues like the situation in Myanmar.

Q & A

What is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)?

ASEAN is an economic union between 10 Southeast Asian countries aimed at promoting economic cooperation and regional peace and security.

What were the initial countries that formed ASEAN?

The initial countries that formed ASEAN in 1967 were Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore.

What was the purpose of the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA)?

ASA was founded in 1961 with the purpose of creating peace and ensuring regional stability, particularly against the rise of communist influences in the region.

Why did ASA collapse in 1963?

ASA collapsed due to territorial disputes, such as Malaysia's claim over Sabah, and the differing national interests of member countries.

What was the significance of the Declaration of Bangkok in 1967?

The Declaration of Bangkok marked the creation of ASEAN, with the aim of promoting economic cooperation and regional peace and security among Southeast Asian nations.

What were the original objectives of ASEAN?

The original objectives of ASEAN were to encourage economic cooperation and promote regional peace and security, although they were quite vague and did not include a single market or military alliance.

How did the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) change ASEAN?

The TAC expanded ASEAN's objectives to include cooperation on matters of national resilience (security matters), established a high council for dispute settlements, and allowed for the integration of other Southeast Asian states.

What economic achievement did ASEAN experience from 1976 to 1982?

From 1976 to 1982, the cumulative GDP of ASEAN member states grew from $91.1 billion to $211.9 billion, reflecting an average annual growth of 15 percent.

What was the significance of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) in 1992?

AFTA aimed to eliminate internal tariffs between ASEAN members, promoting a free market economy, but it did not establish a common external tariff.

How has ASEAN's policy of non-interference been challenged?

ASEAN's policy of non-interference has been challenged by events such as the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and the military coup, leading to the exclusion of Myanmar from the annual summit in 2021.

What is the current dilemma facing ASEAN regarding its non-interference policy?

ASEAN is at a crossroads, needing to decide whether to maintain its non-interference policy or intervene more heavily in situations like the military coup in Myanmar, which could entail more responsibilities and difficult conversations about its relation with national governments.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Introduction to ASEAN and its Historical Context

This paragraph provides an introduction to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an economic union consisting of ten Southeast Asian countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It explains the origins of ASEAN, which was preceded by the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA) formed in 1961 to foster peace and regional stability amidst rising communist influences. The paragraph describes the collapse of ASA in 1963 and its replacement by Mafilindo, a short-lived alliance between Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Despite these early setbacks, ASEAN was officially founded on August 8, 1967, by representatives from five countries—Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore—during the Bangkok Declaration. Initially, ASEAN’s objectives were vague, focusing on economic cooperation and regional peace, with limited practical outcomes due to internal suspicions and conflicts.

05:01

📈 ASEAN’s Evolution and Economic Growth

This paragraph discusses ASEAN’s gradual development and its role in ensuring regional stability despite internal conflicts and suspicions among member states. It highlights the impact of communist threats in the region, such as the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia and the fall of Saigon, which led to a restructuring of ASEAN at the Bali Conference in 1976. The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) was introduced, allowing other Southeast Asian states to join, establishing a council for dispute settlement, and expanding cooperation on security matters. The paragraph also notes ASEAN’s relative political stability compared to its neighbors, leading to significant economic growth from 1976 to 1982, with GDP increasing from $91.1 billion to $211.9 billion. It describes the expansion of ASEAN in the 1980s with Brunei joining in 1984, followed by the signing of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) in 1992. Further expansion included Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, leading to the signing of the ASEAN Charter in 2007, aiming to create a single market.

Keywords

💡ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an economic and political organization comprising 10 Southeast Asian countries. It plays a central role in the video's narrative as it is the main subject. ASEAN was established to foster economic cooperation and ensure regional peace and stability. The video outlines its history, objectives, and challenges, such as the non-interference policy and its response to the Rohingya crisis and Myanmar's military coup.

💡Economic Union

An economic union refers to a group of countries that have joined together to create a unified economic policy. In the context of the video, ASEAN is described as an economic union, highlighting its role in promoting economic cooperation among its member states. This is exemplified by the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) aimed at eliminating internal tariffs.

💡Regional Stability

Regional stability refers to a state of equilibrium and peace within a particular geographic area. The video discusses how ASEAN was initially formed to ensure regional stability by countering the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. It underscores the importance of ASEAN in maintaining peace among its members despite various internal conflicts.

💡Communist Influences

Communist influences refer to the political and social ideologies associated with communism that were prevalent in some Southeast Asian countries during the Cold War era. The video mentions that countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia were dealing with communist insurgencies, which was a catalyst for the formation of ASEAN's precursor, ASA.

💡Declaration of Bangkok

The Declaration of Bangkok is a key document that was signed on August 8, 1967, by representatives from five Southeast Asian countries, leading to the creation of ASEAN. The video uses this term to mark a pivotal moment in the establishment of ASEAN, signifying a commitment to regional cooperation and peace.

💡Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC)

The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation is a significant agreement signed by ASEAN members in 1976, which aimed to enhance cooperation and resolve disputes peacefully. The video highlights the TAC as a means to formalize ASEAN's commitment to regional stability and to expand its membership to include other Southeast Asian countries.

💡Non-Interference Policy

The non-interference policy is a principle of ASEAN that respects the sovereignty of its member states and refrains from interfering in their internal affairs. The video discusses how this policy has been challenged, particularly in relation to the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, indicating a potential shift in ASEAN's approach to regional issues.

💡ASEAN Charter

The ASEAN Charter is a constitutional document that was signed in 2007 with the aim of creating a single market for the region's population. The video uses the charter to illustrate ASEAN's evolution towards a more formalized and integrated organization, despite its limitations in terms of legal powers.

💡Rohingya Crisis

The Rohingya crisis refers to the persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. The video discusses how this crisis has tested ASEAN's non-interference policy, as it involves human rights abuses within a member state, prompting discussions about the need for a more interventionist approach.

💡Myanmar Military Coup

The Myanmar military coup occurred in 2021, leading to a significant political upheaval. The video mentions how ASEAN's response to the coup, including the decision to disinvite Myanmar from its annual summit, represents a significant departure from its traditional non-interference policy and signals a potential shift in its approach to member states' internal affairs.

💡Crossroads

A crossroads metaphorically represents a critical juncture or decision point. The video uses this term to describe ASEAN's current situation, where it must decide whether to maintain its non-interference policy or take a more active role in addressing issues like the crisis in Myanmar.

Highlights

ASEAN is an economic union between 10 Southeast Asian countries.

ASEAN was preceded by ASA, a smaller union between Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

ASA was founded in 1961 to create peace and ensure regional stability.

ASEAN was established in 1967 with the Declaration of Bangkok.

Original objectives of ASEAN were vague, focusing on economic cooperation and regional peace.

ASEAN's early years were marked by mutual suspicion between member states.

ASEAN held together due to shared concerns over the rise of communist insurgencies.

The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) was signed in 1976, revamping ASEAN's structure.

TAC included provisions for the integration of other Southeast Asian states.

ASEAN expanded to include cooperation on national resilience and security matters.

ASEAN member states enjoyed relative political stability and became a leading voice on trade and security.

From 1976 to 1982, ASEAN's GDP grew at an average annual rate of 15%.

ASEAN's membership expanded in the 1980s with Brunei joining in 1984.

The ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) was signed in 1992, eliminating internal tariffs.

Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia joined ASEAN in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The ASEAN Charter was signed in 2007, aiming to create a single market for the region.

ASEAN has a policy of non-interference in member states' internal affairs.

ASEAN's non-interference policy was challenged by the Rohingya crisis and the Myanmar military coup.

In 2021, ASEAN disinvited Myanmar from its annual summit for the first time.

ASEAN is at a crossroads, deciding whether to maintain non-interference or intervene in Myanmar.

Transcripts

[Music]

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anyway let's get straight into it the

association of southeast asian nations

or asean is an economic union between 10

southeast asian countries they are in

alphabetical order brunei cambodia

indonesia laos malaysia myanmar the

philippines singapore thailand and

vietnam asean was preceded by the

association of southeast asia otherwise

known as asa which was a smaller union

between thailand the philippines and

malaya which in 1963 would become

integrated into malaysia

asa was founded in 1961 with the purpose

of creating peace and ensuring regional

stability

at the time many countries in southeast

asia were struggling to contain national

communist influences the filipino

government was struggling with the

communist hook balahap the indonesian

government was struggling with the

indonesian communist party and malaysia

was struggling with the sarawak

communist insurgency and they decided

that they stood a better chance of

ensuring stability if they cooperated

with one another asa eventually

collapsed in 1963 after malaysia claimed

sarbag as part of malaysia in the

malaysia agreement before being replaced

by mafalindo which was composed of

malaysia the philippines and indonesia

again mafilindo didn't really last

largely because each country emphasized

its own national interest and the plan

sort of petered out by 1965.

despite these two previous failures in

1967 representatives from five southeast

asian countries malaysia indonesia

thailand the philippines and singapore

met in bangkok to discuss a southeast

asian union where they signed the

declaration of bangkok on august the 8th

creating asean now originally asean's

objectives were pretty vague it was

about encouraging economic cooperation

and promoting regional peace and

security but there wasn't anything

particularly substantial no single

market or any sort of military alliance

not much happened for the first 10 years

or so in part thanks to a confusing and

overlapping committee structure and the

fact that countries only met once a year

but mainly because there were mutual

suspicion between various member states

the philippines were still unhappy about

saba malaysia was supporting muslim

separationists in thailand while

thailand was providing refuge for

malaysian communist party insurgents and

there were suspicions that singapore

which was at the time 75 ethnically

chinese would turn into a third china

supporting communist insurgencies in the

region

nonetheless asean held together because

whatever suspicions they had against one

another the asean countries were more

worried about the rise of communist

insurgencies in the region especially

vietnam these anxieties were exacerbated

by the then popular domino theory of

communist geopolitics which implied that

the successful communist takeover of

vietnam would guarantee a similar fate

for other countries in the region and

while asean didn't have any real powers

it did help its member states overcome

their various disagreements and avoid

outright conflict with one another given

that the rest of southeast asia was in

almost constant political turmoil the

region is sometimes described as the

balkans of the east this was a real

achievement anyway you get the point for

the first 10 years or so asean did a

pretty good job of ensuring regional

stability even if it didn't make any

formal changes to its members relations

nonetheless after the rise of the

communist khmer rouge in cambodia and

the fall of saigon in 1975 its members

decided that asean could do with a

revamp at the bali conference in 1976

asean revamped its committee structure

and more importantly signed the treaty

of amity and cooperation otherwise known

as the tac

the tac had three important components

first it included the proviso that the

treaty shall be open for a session by

other states in southeast asia which

eventually led to the integration of

cambodia laos myanmar and vietnam

second it established a ministerial

level high council for dispute

settlements and third it expanded asean

to include cooperation on matters of

national resilience which was a sort of

diplomatic euphemism for security

matters

there was also a plan for a free trade

area but nothing really came of it

anyway over the next few years asean

member states unlike their regional

neighbors enjoyed relative political

stability and asean became the region's

leading voice on trade and security

issues political stability enabled

sustained economic prosperity and

according to the world bank data from

1976 until 1982 the cumulative gdp of

asean member states went from 91.1

billion dollars to

211.9 billion dollars amounting to a

seriously impressive average annual

growth of 15 percent unsurprisingly

asean became the coolest club in

southeast asia

and in the 80s its membership started

expanding

in 1984 after gaining independence from

the united kingdom brunei became asean's

sixth member

in 1992 convinced by the merits of a

free market economy the asean member

states signed the asean free trade

agreement otherwise known as afta which

involved the elimination of internal

tariffs between asean members but

importantly no common external tariff

which meant that asean member states

could set whatever tariffs they want for

non-asean imports in 1995 after the cold

war and a national transition from a

planned economy to what was then known

as a mixed economy vietnam joined the

group followed quickly by laos and

myanmar in 1997 and cambodia in 1999. in

2007 asean member states signed the

asean charter with the aim of creating a

single market for the region's 650

million or so people which would be the

world's largest

nonetheless asean was still relatively

toothless and it did have a firm policy

of non-interference which essentially

meant that it couldn't get involved in

member states internal affairs

interestingly this policy has been

challenged recently by the ongoing

genocide of rohingya muslims and the

military coup in myanmar

you can't really have a policy of

non-interference when one of your member

states is committing genocide and

oppressing its people because well it

looks weak which is why in october 2021

for the first time asean disinvited one

of its member states by refusing to

involve myanmar in its annual summit

while this might not sound like much it

has seriously undermined the legitimacy

of myanmar's military junta and in the

eyes of the international community and

it marks a turning point in asean's

neutral non-interference policy so

that's a quick tldr history of asean all

in all asean is interesting because it

doesn't really have any legal powers

it's essentially just a forum for

southeast asian countries

nonetheless asean has political weight

and that matters despite its limited

legal powers asean has successfully

maintained relative peace amongst its

member states for an impressively long

time and might be able to stop the chaos

in myanmar sometime soon

however asean is currently at a

crossroads it has to decide whether it

wants to stick with the tried and tested

non-interference policy and stand by

while the military junta tightens its

grip on power or scrap the

non-interference policy and intervene

more heavily in myanmar even if that

entails more responsibilities and

difficult conversations about the

relation between asean and national

governments anyway what do you think

should asean do more or is that a

problem for myanmar and myanmar alone

let us know your thoughts in the

comments below

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