ASEAN Meet

• Vaid's ICS, Lucknow
• 23, Nov 2021

Topics Covered: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.

Context:

China has announced USD 1.5 billion development assistance for the ASEAN besides the elevation of the ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership to strengthen security cooperation with the 10-nation bloc, amid the US push into the resource rich Indo-Pacific.

• Xi made the remarks at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-China Special Summit to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.
• He also said China would never seek hegemony nor take advantage of its size to coerce smaller countries, and would work with Asean to eliminate “interference”.

What is ASEAN?

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional organization which was established to promote political and social stability amid rising tensions among the Asia-Pacific’s post-colonial states.

The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.

ASEAN Secretariat – Indonesia, Jakarta.

Genesis:

Established in 1967 with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by its founding fathers.

Founding Fathers of ASEAN are: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Ten Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Significance of ASEAN for India:

• Against the backdrop of aggressive moves by China, including the Ladakh standoff, India placed the ASEAN at the centre of India’s Act East policyand held that a cohesive and responsive ASEAN is essential for security and growth for all in the region.
• ASEAN is necessary for the success of the Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) Vision.
• The region is significant for diversification and resilience of supply chains for post-Covid-19 economic recovery.
• It is India’s 4th largest trading partner with about USD 86.9 billion in trade.

Facts for Prelims

Suez Canal

• The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway running north to south across the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt, to connect the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
• The canal separates the African continent from Asia.
• It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
• It is one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes, carrying over 12% of world trade by volume.

Pygmy hogs

1. They are the world’s rarest and smallest wild pigs.
2. The pygmy hog is native to dense alluvial grasslands in the southern foothills of the Himalayas.
3. Endemic to India, they are restricted to very few locations around Manas National Park in north-western Assam.
4. With just around 250 animals in the wild, the pygmy hog is one of the world’s most threatened mammals.
5. Currently listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
6. The pygmy hog is designated as a Schedule I species in India under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.