Topics: ASEAN Summit; 10-year anniversary of MH370; Sweden joins NATO;
09:20AM AEDT
8 March 2024
Cheng Lei: Australia and South East Asian leaders have signed a statement that encourages peace, security and stability in the South China Sea. The so-called Melbourne Declaration was agreed to at the ASEAN summit this week, as concerns grow over another confrontation between China and the Philippines in the region. Joining me now is Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham. Hey there Simon, great to see you again and good to talk. So, let’s look at this Melbourne Declaration.
Simon Birmingham: Hi, Lei.
Cheng Lei: What do you make of it? To what extent you know, was there this elephant in the room, China. Even though it’s not part of the summit.
Simon Birmingham: Lei, we have to acknowledge that ASEAN’s great success is in bringing together the ten core nation members of ASEAN, Timor-Leste on the journey to membership as well. Across that Southeast Asian region, broadly ensuring peace and security between nations and providing a vehicle for ongoing dialogue. Of course, there’s vast differences between the membership in terms of their structures of government, their culture and otherwise, and the fact that they come together in this way is important. This has been the second ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. The first, initiated by Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop. We welcome the fact that the Albanese Government has continued this on from the Coalition government. In doing so, they’ve managed to ensure that one of the core elements that we all have a common interest in, which is the security and stability of our region, has been put front and centre in the declaration made from this summit. That’s very important, and that it is especially important, as we see that in the same week as the summit, China’s National People’s Congress was meeting. There was another big increase in defence spending over and above the rate of economic growth in China and that increase in defence spending by China coming at the same time as we are seeing yet more instances of aggression in the South China Sea towards the Philippines, again underscoring the importance of this type of dialogue and engagement across the nations of South East Asia here with Australia.
Cheng Lei: So, one of the other outcomes was this $2 billion, you know, Australia’s pledge to invest in the region. Then you compare to the fact that, for example, Malaysia goes to China and comes back with, you know, tens of billions of dollars of investment deals. You know, how can Australia, I guess, play a bigger role in the region without having the size and clout of a country like China?
Simon Birmingham: Well, ours has to stand on a number of different pillars. The first is the respectful way in which we engage. The partnership and the respect for sovereignty that we seek to ensure for ourselves and for every other nation across the region. It also has to be about how we seek to harness the engagement of others, other allies, partners, like-mindeds around the world and encouraging the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and many other like minded democracies to equally be engaging, investing, partnering in different trade and investment initiatives across the region. Of course, a $2 billion government fund is not going to change the dial in and of itself in terms of Australian investment with South East Asia, but how it is used to leverage private sector investment from our superannuation funds and other major Australian businesses and corporations, that’s going to be the key. That really is at the core of Nicholas Moore’s work with the South East Asian Investment Strategy. That must remain the intense focus rather than any particular government initiative.
Cheng Lei: Now, today is the 10th anniversary of the MH370 disappearance, and we’re getting a hint that the search could be reopened. What do you make of the Malaysian PM’s comments with regards to that?
Simon Birmingham: Well, this 10th anniversary of MH370, it is, for many people, one of the great aviation mysteries of our time. But of course, for the families it is a remaining deep personal loss and one in which trying to solve that mystery would bring some closure, some understanding around that loss. So, if there are things that can be done, if there is evidence that shows greater and new searches could make a difference, then of course that ought to be pursued. We would give full support to Australia assisting, providing additional resources where there’s credible evidence and viable pathways to restore that search and to try to bring some point of closure to those families who still feel that loss, as well as providing answers to this enormous and great aviation mystery.
Cheng Lei: I want to talk about Sweden’s new accession into NATO. You know, it’s giving up decades of neutrality now to join NATO. To what extent is this going to lead to more possibility of conflict, or does it contain any intended, any potential aggression by Russia?
Simon Birmingham: It’s essential we recognise the role that deterrence plays in relation to how we avoid conflict. Deterrence works hand in hand with diplomacy, and its why Australia’s got to make sure we lift our game in terms of defence investment, defence capability, defence preparedness. To make sure we are a strong ally and partner with others to create that deterrence framework and it’s why strengthening NATO is also so important. Because Sweden joining NATO alongside Finland, having joined NATO, provides for a stronger NATO and a stronger NATO provides for greater deterrence against Russia or any other adversary or foe from initiating further conflict. Because they know that they would be initiating conflict against a bigger, stronger, more united and powerful NATO. When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, he was hoping to weaken NATO. He was hoping to reduce the scope of NATO. But in fact, his actions have indeed been counterproductive to those interests or those ambitions he had. He has actually only served to reunite NATO, to expand NATO’s footprint and to strengthen the resource and commitments being made to NATO, which is very, very important. It’s also why I hope to see Australia continue to play a bigger partnership role with NATO alongside the other Indo-Pacific four nations, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. As important partners in dialogue and important partners in investing with NATO partners in areas of defence capability, defence technology and in direct support of Ukraine in continuing to fight back Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion.
Cheng Lei: Thank you so much. Let’s do hope that we are heading for more peaceful times instead of otherwise. Thanks for your time, Simon.
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