Australia and ASEAN: Working together to prevent conflict

ASEAN is a role model – promoting trust, maintaining peace and stability, and providing a platform for dialogue.

The 5th ASEAN-Australia Summit within the framework of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia, October 28. (Source: VNA)

Southeast Asia knows all too well the true cost of conflict and the value of peace . Violence and instability disrupt livelihoods, displace communities and undermine economic growth – threatening food and energy security and putting long-term development and prosperity at risk.

In an increasingly complex strategic context, the need for collective leadership has never been more urgent. ASEAN is a role model – promoting trust, maintaining peace and stability, and providing a platform for dialogue. That is why Australia, together with Vietnam, is supporting efforts to strengthen ASEAN-led mechanisms to prevent conflict in the first place.

Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Gillian Bird. (Photo: Thu Hien)

The ASEAN-Australia Leaders’ Joint Statement on Conflict Prevention and Crisis Management in an ASEAN-led Regional Architecture (28 October 2025) reaffirms the recognition that peace and stability in the region is a shared responsibility. This statement sends a clear message: In the face of growing challenges, we unite to choose dialogue over confrontation, cooperation over division.

Conflict is not inevitable and once it starts, it is difficult to control. For Australia, conflict prevention means building a region where sovereignty is respected, disputes are resolved peacefully in accordance with international law, and all nations – large and small – can thrive. This requires trust, transparency and practical tools to reduce tensions. We all have a role to play in ensuring peace.

ASEAN and its mechanisms, including the East Asia Summit (EAS), are central to this effort. ASEAN’s voice is unique and influential – shaping norms, setting expectations and influencing behaviour across the region, underpinned by a pragmatic approach to managing tensions and promoting mutual understanding.

The recent Joint Statement between Cambodia and Thailand demonstrates that ASEAN can resolve complex disputes peacefully. Australia welcomes the leadership of Cambodia and Thailand, along with Prime Minister Anwar of Malaysia as ASEAN Chair and US President Donald Trump, in this important step to resolve border conflicts and strengthen regional peace and stability. This milestone reflects a collective commitment to advancing ASEAN-led peace efforts.

ASEAN’s commitment to peace, stability, and dialogue has long been at the heart of its vision. This is reflected in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, the ASEAN Charter, and the forward-looking ASEAN Vision 2045. It is also reflected in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026.

Building on that foundation, Australia focuses on practical collective leadership, demonstrated through initiatives such as the ASEAN Conflict Prevention Workshop. These efforts are not only symbolic, but also a direct investment in strengthening the ASEAN-led architecture for conflict prevention and crisis management before they escalate.

Australia stands with Vietnam and Southeast Asia not only in principle but also in concrete support for the rules and norms that underpin regional stability. This includes our strong support for international legal frameworks, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Frameworks such as UNCLOS are vital because they help maintain stability and safety in the South China Sea, through which $4 trillion worth of goods pass every year.

Beyond our borders, we support vital peacekeeping operations, including working with Vietnam, where we work alongside forces deployed to the UN Mission in South Sudan – providing strategic airlift, training and equipment. And through our current tenure on the UN Peacebuilding Commission, we are helping to strengthen the multilateral system and support conflict prevention efforts both in the region and around the world.

The leaders’ statement is a call to action. Conflict is not inevitable – but preventing it requires collective leadership, cooperation and trust. The statement reflects a commitment to translating shared principles into practical measures to reduce risk, increase transparency and build resilience.

Australia is determined to play its part because we understand the terrible cost of conflict and the immense value of peace. For when diplomacy fails, it is not just ideals that are lost – but also lives, livelihoods and future opportunities.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/australia-va-asean-dong-long-ngan-ngua-xung-dot-333523.html