Manila (VNA) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should strengthen rules-based maritime cooperation to safeguard regional stability, secure supply chains and address emerging security challenges, speakers said at a panel discussion, as part of the 10th ASEAN Media Forum in Manila, the Philippines, on July 30.
Participants at the panel discussion on ASEAN’s role in promoting rules-based maritime cooperation highlighted the bloc’s strategic role in maritime governance amid intensifying geopolitical competition, supply chain disruptions and growing non-traditional security threats.
The discussion focused on balancing negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) with broader cooperation in marine biodiversity conservation, the sustainable sea-based economy and coordinated law enforcement to combat transnational maritime crime.
Haji Mohamed Safwan Bin Othman, Chairman of the Federation of ASEAN Shipowners’ Associations (FASA), stressed that maritime transport remains the backbone of ASEAN’s trade and economic growth.
With no shipping, there is no trade, he said, noting that more than 80% of global trade by volume is transported by sea, while ASEAN’s total trade is valued at around 4.4 trillion USD.
He added that the Malacca and Singapore Straits handle about 28% of global trade, with more than 90,000 vessel transits annually and around 35% of the world’s seaborne oil shipments. Ensuring freedom of navigation and safe, secure shipping lanes in accordance with international law is therefore essential for regional supply chains and investor confidence, he said.
Safwan also pointed out key challenges facing the region’s maritime sector, including the transition to net-zero emissions, regulatory differences among countries and geopolitical tensions that have increased shipping costs and disrupted supply chains. He called for greater harmonisation of maritime regulations, investment in port infrastructure and clean fuels, and a unified ASEAN maritime strategy.
Neil S. Silva of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea at the University of the Philippines underscored the importance of ensuring that the future COC remains fully consistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), without undermining its authority or limiting the use of international dispute settlement mechanisms.
Meanwhile, Emirza Adi Syailendra, a researcher from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, said recent global crises have exposed ASEAN’s dependence on external supply chains. He urged member states to deepen intra-regional trade, diversify partnerships and strengthen supply chain connectivity to enhance the region’s resilience against future geopolitical and economic shocks./.
Malaysia calls on ASEAN not to sideline nuclear power in energy transition
Speaking at a regional energy conference in Selangor state on July 29, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that while ASEAN member states are placing strong emphasis on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, nuclear energy has not received the attention it deserves.
