Does ASEAN need a NATO-like security mechanism?

Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh, international relations expert, Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - VNU, answered that question with multi-dimensional arguments when interviewed by TG&VN on the sidelines of the International Scientific Conference "Cooperation and integration in the Baltic region and Southeast Asia from a comparative perspective".

Professor Pham Quang Minh was interviewed on the sidelines of the workshop about the similarities and differences between ASEAN and the Baltic region. (Photo: PH)

Sir, NATO has just gone through a "sad birthday" and the question of NATO's existence has been raised again. What do you think about this issue?

In fact, the question of NATO's existence has been raised since the end of the Cold War. Currently, NATO is going through a period of crisis despite having a new mission, different from the Cold War period. The current problem is the cohesion within NATO when the "captain" of NATO - the US is criticizing the members, saying that these countries do not fully fulfill their obligations and increase the defense spending to 2%. Only about ¼ of NATO members fulfill this responsibility, thus creating a rift within NATO. NATO member countries, in the EU, are tending to jointly establish their own security force, less dependent on the US and other countries.

So, is NATO clearly also posing a challenge to the Baltic states? And for ASEAN, does the region also face similar challenges from the security mechanisms that ASEAN itself created, sir?

The first challenge that both the Baltic and Southeast Asian regions are facing is the increase in traditional and non-traditional security risks, sovereignty disputes, maritime borders, environment, economy, migration... new implications of security issues. The second is the question of what mechanism to use to solve these security issues. In fact, the Baltic region is more prominent in having a NATO multilateral security cooperation mechanism. Currently, in ASEAN there is no such cooperation mechanism but it is only shown in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) or the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Forum (ADMM+). The Baltic Sea region has a very sustainable security mechanism like NATO, which has existed since the 1940s, and ASEAN does not have a tight security mechanism, but the two regions have in common that the existing mechanisms have not yet solved the security issues that the two regions face. In the Baltic Sea region, the number of conflicts and tensions is greater than in the pre-Cold War period. Therefore, the lesson is that countries must still strengthen multilateral cooperation even though multilateralism is currently being challenged on a global scale. It is the big countries with great economic and military potential that challenge multilateralism, bringing threats to regional security instead of taking the lead, having initiatives and mechanisms for cooperation in terms of security.

In your opinion, what role do small and medium-sized countries like Vietnam play in creating security institutions?

It is true that big countries always play an important role, during the Cold War it was the US and the Soviet Union. Today, with the addition of China and the BRICS countries, they will certainly play an important role, leading and creating a peaceful environment. However, we must not forget that small and medium-sized countries are playing an equally important role. I want to emphasize here the role of ASEAN. As a regional organization with 10 small and medium-sized countries, since 1967, ASEAN has put forward many initiatives, standards, and values ​​that big countries have accepted, such as the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), the Regional Security Forum, the East Asia Summit (EAS), etc., showing that ASEAN always demonstrates its dynamism, ability to change and adjust its policies in relation to the world situation. Thus, small and medium-sized countries, including Vietnam, have always demonstrated a new posture and position as a highly responsible, active and proactive country in international cooperation, contributing to regional peace and security. We need to promote this further in the future.

So, does ASEAN really need a model like NATO?

This issue depends on history, international experience and consensus of countries in the region. Up to now, ASEAN's unchangeable principles are consensus and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. These two principles were introduced in 1976 and have been effective. Up to now, there has been no war among ASEAN countries, and conflicts have been very small. ASEAN's greatest success so far is the peaceful resolution of the Cambodia issue in the period 1979-1991. Now, ASEAN still needs to continue to consider a multilateral security mechanism like NATO because the history of ASEAN countries shows that the issue of sovereignty is very important when having gone through countless hardships to gain peace and independence, and the process of building a nation is still ongoing. So far, ASEAN has only proposed a model of building the ASEAN Community based on three pillars, the most important of which is security and politics. This pillar is completely suitable for the conditions and context of ASEAN. A military organization like NATO is probably not suitable or necessary. If the security and politics Community pillar is well implemented, ensuring a peaceful environment, no war, and people living in prosperity, it will meet the current needs of ASEAN countries.

How do you evaluate the way China deals with big countries?ASEAN?

I think that the story of self-reliance is always important in foreign policy. Most NATO members are economies with potential, unlike ASEAN, which are all countries with lower levels of development, so self-reliance and independence from the influence of great powers is very difficult, not to mention the power competition between major countries such as the US and China. ASEAN countries have put forward very clever policies, creating their own standards to bring major countries in, creating a playing field where major countries find it difficult to implement their own policies separately and are forced to take into account their interests as well as the interests of major countries, leading to a lack of conflict in the region.

What should Vietnam do when assuming the role of ASEAN Chair 2020 to be able to work with other member countries to build a peaceful and stable environment for ASEAN to develop?

The most important issue of ASEAN at present that Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair 2020, is the issue of regional consensus. ASEAN's weakest point is that it has not yet reached common views and perceptions on regional issues. For example, in the case of the East Sea, the issue only concerns 4 ASEAN countries (Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei), the remaining 6 countries still tend to consider this a bilateral issue. Therefore, many ASEAN countries pay little attention to the East Sea. In that context, Vietnam must create consensus on this issue, considering it a regional issue because if there is a conflict in the East Sea, it will affect all ASEAN countries, and must guide countries to understand that they need to put regional interests above national interests. In addition, Vietnam also needs to strengthen connectivity and narrow the development gap within the bloc. ASEAN businesses must increase investment in each other and implement multilateral agreements with ASEAN participation such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

Thank you very much Professor!