MOUNTING PRESSURES
Concerns about the treaty’s resilience are growing as the global order becomes increasingly unpredictable.
From rapid swings in United States President Donald Trump’s tariff policy to his recent unilateral actions against Venezuela and his ongoing threats to annex Greenland, geopolitical volatility has intensified.
At the same time, the use of “grey zone” tactics is also on the rise, including on the maritime front.
These operations – such as the use of maritime militia, surveillance drone incursions and cyber operations – are aggressive but fall short of outright war.
Lin warned that such tactics directly go against the spirit of the TAC.
“These actions may not look like some classic armed conflict, but they can directly challenge the TAC principles of the non-use of force and mutual respect,” she said.
Another challenge, she added, lies closer to home – internal division within ASEAN.
Ridzwan described the TAC as a “stabilising baseline” of how states are expected to conduct themselves, but one whose limits must be acknowledged given the absence of an enforcement mechanism.
In terms of what safeguards ASEAN has, given that the TAC is mainly a diplomatic tool, Ridzwan said that while the bloc is not a military alliance, overlapping security arrangements among member states could play a greater role in times of crisis.
“We have many mini lateral military groupings that can be deployed in the event of an adversary attack on one of the member states,” he noted.
One example, said Ridzwan, is the Five Power Defence Arrangements – a defence pact that was formed in 1971 against the backdrop of armed conflict across Southeast Asia. It comprises Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
“In the face of the threats that we are facing today, mini lateral groupings will elevate in terms of importance,” he added.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/asean-treaty-amity-cooperation-southeast-asia-mark-50-years-5949361
