(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) THE 10 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) adopted the theme 'One Community, One Destiny' at the beginning of the year, in the run-up to the establishment of an ambitious Asean community by 2015.
But barely seven months after the adoption of the goal, the regional grouping appear to have frayed, the ideal lies in tatters and members were unable to even issue a final communiqué last week at the end of a summit, the first time this has happened in its 45-year history.
Cambodia, which chaired the summit in Phnom Penh, refused to allow the Asean members to issue a communiqué that referred to the latest stand-off between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. The 750,000 sq km sea, whose waters lap up the shores of eight countries in the region, has emerged as one of the most contentious zones in the world, and frighteningly, also one of the most volatile.
Besides the warships of the United States and China which aggressively cruise the waters, many of the smaller countries in the region have also beefed up their navies and despatch their powerful vessels to protect islands claimed by them.
At the heart of the dispute is the claim over the sea and a barren patch of 750 islets, called the Spratly Islands chain. But more importantly, it is the energy-rich seabed estimated to store 225 billion barrels of oil and natural gas that is raising tempers in the sea. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, besides Taiwan have been battling over the archipelago for the past 50 years.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire sea and the archipelago and frequently flexes its muscles by sending fishing boats, warships and other vessels, in the process annoying its smaller neighbours. But despite the high-octane statements issued by Chinese leaders, the country maintains that it believes in settling the dispute through peaceful means and by negotiating directly on a one-on-one basis with the other countries. The latest stand-off occurred between the Philippines and China at the Scarborough Shoal, a reef claimed by both the countries. Manila accused Chinese fishermen of poaching in its exclusive economic zone, and both countries sent ships to the disputed zone. Both the Philippines and Vietnam accuse China of harassing their fishermen.
The US, seen by China as unnecessarily interfering in its neighbourhood, has promised to send more troops and ships to the region to back its allies. It is also opposed to bilateral negotiations between China and other countries claiming the Spratly islands, and wants a wider regional consultation in resolving the issue.
But China succeeded in splitting Asean, when Cambodia - a major recipient of Chinese investments - successfully stalled the grouping from issuing a communiqué that referred to the stand-off with the Philippines. In the bargain, it has managed to alienate some of its largest trading partners, who are increasingly wary of the threat posed by their big northern neighbour.
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