By Julie Nguyen
ASEAN is part of the Indo-Pacific, a region of security and economic significance to Canada. Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS, November 2022) supports the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP, June 2019) with shared goals of strengthening regional security and driving long-term economic growth. In September 2023, Canada and ASEAN signed a Strategic Partnership which “supports ASEAN and Canada to jointly address new challenges, including through cooperation in ASEAN-led mechanisms and international fora.”
The Canada-ASEAN Security Cooperation: Furthering Strategic Partnership in the Indo-Pacific symposium, which I co-organized at Canada-ASEAN Initiatives (York Centre for Asian Research, York University) at Carleton University on May 13, 2024, co-sponsored by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada), with the participation of Global Affairs Canada, National Defence Canada, Fisheries and Ocean Canada, Canadian universities and think-tanks, and Heads of Missions of five countries, discussed ways to strengthen Canada-ASEAN security cooperation in the contexts of the ASEAN-Canada strategic partnership, IPS and AOIP. Given recent geopolitical developments in Asia and the world including the South China Sea, and the need for security dialogues to overcome common challenges and achieve common interests, the discussion focused on the imperative of regional security for economic development, promoting the rule of law, maritime peace and security with a rules-based international order, addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges, and deepening cooperation in cybersecurity.
The event summary is available at:
Event Summary: Building on Canada-ASEAN Security Co-operation: Furthering Strategic Partnership in the Indo-Pacific, by Julia Bentley, published by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, June 19, 2024.