Canada’s new strategic partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) focuses on promoting security in the region. The partnership was presented at the ASEAN summit in Indonesia, attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The joint statement issued by participating leaders highlights the shared principles of promoting an open, inclusive, transparent, and rules-based regional architecture in the Indo-Pacific region. The first strategic area of cooperation identified is the “political-security community,” which aims to promote maritime security, freedom of navigation, unimpeded commerce, mutual trust, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Several ASEAN countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Indonesia, have territorial disputes with China. Indonesian President Joko Widodo welcomed Canada’s upgraded status with ASEAN, hoping that Canada would become an anchor for peace and stability in the region. ASEAN was founded in 1967, and Canada became a dialogue partner in 1977. Prime Minister Trudeau committed to establishing a strategic partnership during the ASEAN forum last year.
Apart from security, the partnership also focuses on economic cooperation. There is mention of increasing engagement with Canadian pension funds, as some large funds have scaled back their involvement in China in recent months. The Chinese economy has faced challenges, and Western countries are promoting “friend-shoring” to reduce reliance on non-democratic countries. ASEAN and Canada also released a joint statement on strengthening food security in the context of global challenges such as geopolitical tension, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change.
During the summit, Prime Minister Trudeau held bilateral meetings with leaders from Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised Canada for its increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, considering it a significant development. Canada released its Indo-Pacific Strategy last year, identifying China as a disruptive power. The new strategy and related initiatives explain the upgraded status with ASEAN, reflecting a change in Canada’s approach.
The Canadian government considers the Indo-Pacific Strategy as the biggest foreign policy shift in decades. It aims to have a more sophisticated bilateral relationship with China, which has cooled since the Meng Wangzhou affair and the arbitrary detention of Canadians. Minister Steven Guilbeault recently visited China to attend an environmental forum and improve relations. Overall, the strategic partnership between Canada and ASEAN is focused on promoting security, economic cooperation, and strengthening regional ties.