General (Retd) Ricardo A David Jr, Under Secretary for Defense Policy, The Philippines
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that might evolve into hard security issues and whether
tion on reported clashes between Vietnamese and
there were disparities of views in the region on such
Indonesian patrol boats around the Natuna Islands.
matters. Ben Bland, South China Correspondent for
Sylvia Yazid from Parahyangan Catholic University,
the Financial Times, asked how concerned the pan-
Indonesia, expressed hope that Indonesia would be
ellists were about radicalism in Indonesia. Lin Liu
a strategic partner for other countries battling inter-
of China’s Academy of Military Science, People’s
national terrorism. Sylvie Kauffmann, Editorial
Liberation Army asked what could be done to enhance
Director, Le Monde, asked whether the panellists could
cooperation between ASEAN and China and whether
speak about the level of coordination among differ-
the Philippines would invite China to join maritime
ent extremist groups and whether there were signs of
patrols of the Sulu Sea. Prashanth Parameswaran from
coordination in the region with foreign fighters from
the Diplomat enquired whether David could expand
the Middle East and Europe.
on the additional opportunities that the Philippines
David responded by explaining that there were
sees for defence cooperation with partners other than
currently no plans for inviting other countries to join
the US. David Shambaugh, Director, China Policy
maritime patrols in the Sulu Sea. He also stressed that
Program, George Washington University, wanted
the Philippines’ defence cooperation efforts were not
to know whether negotiations on the framework
designed to form military blocs. On the threat from
agreement for a code of conduct in the South China
terrorism and violent extremism in the southern
Sea included discussion of caps on military deploy-
Philippines, David suggested that citizens not only
ments and military installations on features there, and
Malaysia and Indonesia, but also of Saudi Arabia,
whether such caps could perhaps be seen as confi-
were among recent perpetrators. These foreign
dence-building measures in what otherwise looks like
fighters were operating alongside locals. Economic,
an increasingly militarised environment. Ekaterina
social and political solutions would be necessary to
Koldunova, Deputy Dean, School of Political Affairs,
remove some of the drivers of violent extremism.
Moscow State Institute of International Relations,
Minh stressed that it was important to evaluate and
asked whether the panel saw any prospects for
monitor the implementation of new measures being
ASEAN–Russia cooperation on counter-terrorism. Jin
taken under ASEAN’s lead – it was important to
Kiat Khoo, Senior Reporter, Defence and Diplomatic
know whether the intended outcomes were being
Affairs, the China Press, Malaysia, asked the Indonesian
achieved. The ‘framework agreement’ for a code of
minister whether he could provide further informa-
conduct in the South China Sea was currently only
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