The East Asia Summit: Navigating ASEAN Multilateralism

Abstract

The Australian government places great emphasis on the East Asia Summit (EAS) as the key regional grouping in the Asia-Pacific region. It celebrates Australia’s role as a “founding member” of the EAS, which was established in Kuala Lumpur in 2005. The EAS has become increasingly prominent in the region, and Australian foreign ministry officials publicly state that it is the regional institution of the highest priority. Why does Australia put so much emphasis on the EAS? And what are the implications for Australia’s relations with ASEAN? This chapter explores Australia’s emphasis on the EAS and the implications this has for Australia’s role in the broader regional architecture,¹ and its relations with individual ASEAN states. Australia’s prioritization of the EAS is partly due to the membership of particular states (particularly China and the United States), which are strategically significant and important trading partners. Australian officials refer to the “security agenda” and potential for confidence-building measures in the EAS. However, the chapter argues that while Australia should certainly remain engaged with the EAS, it must be careful not to neglect relations with ASEAN states—its closest neighbors, which provide important opportunities for closer economic and strategic cooperation. In particular, indications that Australia may want the EAS to be more independent of ASEAN might not bode well for Australia-ASEAN relations. The Australian government should also remain cognizant of the limits to the EAS given the tensions and rivalry among particular members.