The Thai word, chiew-chiew, which means relax and respond in kind, is a fitting description of Asean's current attitude towards the fiercely strategic competition between the United States and China.
But the bloc's overall responses have been more than skin-deep. On the surface, Asean members are rightfully calling for more dialogue, less tension and more cooperation. However, deep down, they are consulting with one another, bilaterally and collectively, as to what to do to ensure that the rivalry between the world's two superpowers does not impact them in ways that would harm their hard-earned peace, stability and prosperity that has developed over the past five decades. Or, rather, they are trying their best to avoid collateral damage.
During the 56th Asean ministerial meeting next month, the Asean foreign ministers will take on an important global issue they have been trying to put on the back burner for over a decade. At the recent senior official consultative Asean-China meeting in Shenzhen, China officially informed Asean that Beijing is ready to accede to the 1995 Treaty of Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ) without "reservations". That was the first time that China had reiterated its position so clearly. For years, China has wanted to be the first nuclear power to accede to the SEANWFZ. Truth be told, Asean has been reluctant to grant China such a privilege as the bloc would prefer to have all the remaining nuclear powers, the US, UK, France and Russia, sign the no-nuke treaty simultaneously.
