South China Sea: Asean risks irrelevance from ‘damaging’ non-response to tensions, observers say

Asean leaders at the 43rd Asean Summit in Jakarta on Tuesday. Observers say certain non-claimant states in the South China Sea dispute have no interest in “sticking their necks out”. - Photo: AFP

ASEAN, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: Perennially labelled as an ineffectual talkshop, the Asean summit will be under added scrutiny this week following a rise in Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea that observers say the grouping must speak up against or risk further derision.

Opening the Asean summit on Tuesday, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo warned that the 56-year-old bloc should not be dragged into big-power rivalry, but said members should devise a “long-term tactical strategy that is relevant and meets people’s expectations”.