Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Thursday 23 February 1995, page 10

Vietnam and ASEAN

VIETNAM to manoeu
prepares
AS join the Association
vring
of
in providing a bulwark
against China could hardly be
South-East Asian Nations for
mally in July, the implications
more favourable to Australia's
defence posture.
for Australian security are be
At the same time, however,
coming clear. They could hardly
the members of ASEAN collec
be more auspicious. Hanoi ap
tively and individually have
plied to join ASEAN as a full
in November made friendly overtures to
member at a min
isterial meeting in Brunei Beijing and generally these have
but
been reciprocated. Australia,
by then —

in the quiet, consen

too, has been able to develop its
sual manner of such affairs —
it
relationship with China to mu
was a fait accompli. The six
tual benefit. Recent negotiations
member grouping comprising In
illegal migrants
donesia, Malaysia, the Philip the return of
on

pines, Singapore, Thailand

were
and
without rancour. Trade
links grow apace. The potential
Brunei could see the value of
exists through APEC and other
Vietnam's inclusion for both
multilateral institutions to forge
general and particular reasons.
even more friendly ties. As Aus
In broad economic and securi tralia's Asian involvement in
ty terms the participation of Ha
noi is creases, a new and positive per
a natural extension of
spective is in our
ASEAN. Vietnam desperately emerging
needs development; dealings with our northern
her ASEAN
neighbours.
neighbours are well placed to
help. Also, the non-communist
grouping has had a traditional
fear of China's potential for ex
pansion, so the involvement of
the country with perhaps the
best military credentials in the
world was highly desirable.
The particular concern cen
tred on the Spratly Islands in
the China' Sea, some or all of

which are claimed by no fewer

than six countries —

Brunei,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Viet
nam, Taiwan and China. There

is a concern that without a con

certed approach China might be
tempted to translate its claim in
to a military seizure. This fear
is
exacerbated by the possibility
that after the death of Deng
Xiaoping, civil disorder could
cause the leadership to seek a
unifying external issue.
The expanded ASEAN would
look to include Laos, Cambodia
and ultimately Burma, to dis
suade China from any southern
expansionary adventures. The
theme of the diplomatic manoeu

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