Southeast Asian leaders convened for talks set to begin on Monday in Australia, with clean energy cooperation and Beijing’s aggressive stance in the South China key issues predicted to dominate the discussions.
Climate change figures heavily on the agenda as leaders from the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) fly to Melbourne for a “special summit” with Australian counterparts.
Both Southeast Asia and Australia are keen to shoot for renewable energy, making the most of natural blessings, such as rich mineral deposits.
Southeast Asia’s desire for energy is largely reliant on fossil fuels, while Australia remains one of the world’s largest exporters of gas and polluting thermal coal.
Indonesia and the Philippines are two of the world’s leading producers of nickel, a primary ingredient in the production of batteries of electric cars. Lithium is found in large quantities in Australia.
Australia and Indonesia are already beginning to explore ways they could combine these advantages to boost electric vehicle production.
Australia has also for years sought to advance another proposal, to export solar power to Singapore through a huge undersea cable.
ASEANA members are still interested in the project despite financial setbacks.
Territorial disputes through the South China Sea have increased in recent months with China taking an aggressive posture in areas claimed by Beijing and ASEAN members including the Philippines and Vietnam.
Australia is eager to stifle China’s rising influence in the broader Asia-Pacific region.
ASEAN has long faced criticism as a talk fest without political consequence, with divided members cautious on throwing their combined weight over security matters.
The forum has in recent times ramped up engagement with middle-league powers such as Australia and Japan, allies of the US, which has a more confrontational attitude toward China.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo will depart from office by October after ten years in power and long-serving Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is expected to stand down soon afterwards.
Myanmar sent a senior diplomat to an ASEAN summit earlier this year, the first time it was represented in more than two years. The country remains a member but its military leaders and political representatives have been barred from high-level meetings.
