NVDB005_-_CH_4.004._ASEAN-UK_Dialogue_Partnership_-_Sambath_and_Ousa-3

Diplomatic Briefing — KAS Cambodia and CICP

86 — DP Vol. 05

ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership:

on a bilateral level. These include its Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to ASEAN Developing Countries, the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) to potential trading partners, and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to Singapore and Vietnam. AMS also initiated numerous agreements focused on the digital economy and e-commerce that help to push for a more integrated and larger market. Furthermore, the ASEAN-UK partnership involves ground-level implementation with the increasing involvement of businessmen and investors between both parties via the ASEAN-UK Business Council. Another economic turning point between ASEAN and the UK is the Joint Ministerial Declaration on Future Economic Cooper- ation during the 1st ASEAN Economic Minister (AEM) – UK Consultation to demonstrate the joint resolution. Here, the partners will work together to implement the post-pandemic recovery plan, resilient future, sustainable development, and inclusive economic growth for the ASEAN-UK region across 11 priority policy areas. AMS recently demonstrated their enthu- siasm in seeking an opportunity with the UK, while the UK has also asked for further engagement with ASEAN to support and share economic interests.

Social Cooperation

Strategically speaking, the UK’s role in ASEAN is a key reflection of soft power on Indo-Pacific Tilt. In accor- dance with “Global Britain in a Competitive Age: the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy” (2021), it is concluded that the UK saw ASEAN as a key area in deepening and expanding their partnership to promote open societies with human rights, freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Moreover, as seen in the current progress, ASEAN and the UK have proactively engaged in cooper- ation on a number of key priority areas, including digital transition, education (through Chevening Scholarship and British Council), science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), technical and vocational education and training (TVET), women’s leadership and entrepreneurship, social assistance on COVID-19 recovery process (vaccination development and the donation of millions of doses), humanitarian assistance, and especially climate change through funding, mutual cooperation, and concrete actions.

Future Directions for the ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership

ASEAN and the UK will celebrate their first anniversary as Dialogue Partners with the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting that is expected to occur in August 2022. This meeting will outline their future action plan for

the next 5 years. As a way forward, the discussion is expected to touch upon how to construct a dynamic plan for trade and economic development, further improve trade agreements, and reduce market access barriers. The UK’s priorities will be how they can put their Indo-Pacific Tilt strategy into action and build a meaningful friendship with the 10 AMS and the bloc’s external partners. The UK’s center of attention will be on security and maritime issues by wanting the external parties to respect the UNCLOS agreement 3 and appealing to ASEAN on their shared interest in forging open societies, resolving the region’s human- itarian crisis, digitalization, the post-Covid recovery plan, education, and climate change 4. Moreover, the ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership will become a signif- icant steppingstone in pushing the UK closer to future membership in ADMM-Plus, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The second ASEAN Economic Minister – UK Consultation meeting is also expected to take place in September 5 this year, a gathering that will undoubtedly see the strong mutual relationship continue to prosper.

The UK needs to work closely with ASEAN in the Indo-Pacific to realize its Indo-Pacific Tilt and Global Britain strategies in a new competitive age. It had been 25 years since ASEAN last accepted a dialogue partner which is the highest level of partnership; thus, the UK becoming the ASEAN dialogue partner surprised the world by showing a new realm of cooperation between ASEAN and UK in times to come.

Recommendations

Overall, the ASEAN-UK Dialogue Partnership has marked a significant milestone for the UK in realizing comprehensive cooperation plans with ASEAN across political-security, economic and socio-cultural aspects. Nonetheless, each AMS and the UK should remain vigilant in this competitive and complex region because of unceasing major power competition between the US and China. As such, it is recommended that the UK should use this partnership to better fulfill its Indo-Pa- cific strategy and to promote growth and social devel- opment in the region. Mutual benefits can be reaped as AMS have a large abundance of human capital. They

3 According to Job Lambe, UK Ambassador to ASEAN, Interview with Biztech Asia, https://biztech.asia/2022/05/30/an-interview- with-jon-lambe-uk-ambassador-to-asean/

4 Natalie Black and Jon Lambe, “Opportunities for the UK- ASEAN Partnership in 2021”, The ASEAN Magazine Issue 21 (2021), ASEAN Organization, https://asean.org/wp-content/ uploads/2022/05/The-ASEAN-Magazine-Issue-21-2022-Informal- Economy.pdf

5 According to Job Lambe, UK Ambassador to ASEAN, Interview with Biztech Asia, https://biztech.asia/2022/05/30/an-interview- with-jon-lambe-uk-ambassador-to-asean/