The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat last February in Penang, Malaysia, remained another effort by ASEAN to reaffirm readiness. However, it was still mired by increasing security volatility and power rivalry, which further threatened the already fragile internal security understanding and common synergy due to a divided approach to external threats and power affiliations.

The six main themes are seen to be the safe focus areas that can galvanise regional support and reaffirm the theme of inclusivity and unity within ASEAN.

The six main themes cover a comprehensive blend of both traditional and non-traditional security threats but with more focus on non-traditional threats and focus areas regarding the digital and cyber threats and the joint common efforts to develop AI-related defence capacity.

These other areas of non-traditional setting also include transnational crime, where the focus on these areas of AI, digital threats and transnational threat and climate risks as well as joint common efforts to address the threats to food, energy and supply chain security are seen as the safe and low-hanging fruit to get the needed support from all ASEAN members.

The one mention on maritime security and the importance of maintaining collective and common approach in defending these joint interests and rights in the region seems to be a grounded effort in strengthening ASEAN unity and the concept of maintaining its centrality and non-aligned approach, all while being careful not to be seen or perceived by external powers as either exhibiting too much of an antagonist retaliation or to be seen as too soft.

This is to avoid angering both China and in sending a wrong message to the new Trump administration that ASEAN is really seen as a lost cause in serving the interests of America.

Greater regional understanding

The platforms of ADMM and ADMM+ have always been seen as most important in advancing the common causes of factors for greater regional understanding by focusing on the main objectives of these two platforms in the areas of non-traditional threats and in mitigating and preparing for disasters and humanitarian relief.

The inclusion of the need to maintain centrality and also the mention of addressing and facing renewed maritime threats also is meant to showcase the readiness of ASEAN to strengthen its own internal resilience and common cooperation in defending both the ASEAN values of centrality, but also on warding off foreign threats to the essence of peace and stability and in defending the international law and the rights of sovereignty of each ASEAN power.

It also signifies the readiness to stand up to defending the maritime law and norms, and is also meant as a message to Trump that the region is capable of pooling together its defence resources to align with the interests of the United States.

By using this, it can soften the potential impact and repercussions on the part of external powers especially China; by using ASEAN as the shield and collective mechanism in defending the rights of the individual powers and the disputing parties. The internal economic dynamism remains an area that needs more focused efforts. The 31st ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting Retreat that was held seemed to form new narratives towards consolidating internal resilience and inclusivity.

The focus on key areas of future needs, particularly semiconductors, digital economy, AI, energy transition, and supply chain resilience, reflects the common factors that can reduce frictions and reduce the barriers of higher high politics limitations that can further threaten to strain internal unity and unified responses.

Greater cohesion and support important

These common areas of digital economy, blue economy, and new energy transition have been identified as important for ASEAN as a whole. Greater cohesion and support from all ASEAN members are seen as important in reducing the internal barriers and internal competition for these foreign investments and the development of these sectors.

As ASEAN will bear the full brunt of the tariff war and also the impact of Trump 2.0 where firms will be compelled to face the pressure of Trump’s tariff push, Malaysia is trying to push regional lead, resilience and common stance in consolidating the best of regional strength.

This is also important in reducing the regional development gap and in ensuring that each member of ASEAN will get the needed economic spillover impact.

This is in line with the theme for the ASEAN Chairmanship this year, to ensure that the whole of ASEAN gets the economic benefit.

The Retreat is trying to focus on the importance of enlisting Timor Leste as a full member in getting the needed economic and trade benefits to ASEAN, and Malaysia will count on this legacy on its chairmanship to ensure that ASEAN gets the best out of Timor Leste in terms of geographical and economic returns.

Building trust and understanding

The areas of ASEAN where it can position itself as a growing economic bloc lie in the common focus areas where ASEAN has the upper hand, especially in maritime positioning, natural and critical minerals and resources, and the digital infrastructure.

Malaysia also wants to connect deeper with other regional economic blocs, especially with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), to ensure supply chain, energy, and food security, with the needed capital injection and transfer of investments and capital into this ASEAN region.

In return, the Middle East and the Gullf nations will need the region’s resources and the growing hub in consolidating their own economic and energy transition, and in connecting deeper with the people in terms of human capital and the Islamic finance capacity and tourism and people-to-people ties.

In navigating this year’s new uncertainties, the focus for now is to build trust and understanding in low-key areas that can shape deeper symbolism of trust and interdependence in possibly facing new waves of bigger risks in high politics in the future.

-- BERNAMA

Collins Chong Yew Keat is Foreign Affairs, Strategy and Security Analyst at Universiti Malaya.